Environmental Solutions Hazardous Waste Removal Lab Packs Lab Packs and Disposal

Tips for Safely Managing Chemicals at Your School

One of the main responsibilities of every school system is to protect their students, faculty and support staff. They protect students from injuries in the gymnasium, the parking lot, the hallway – anywhere the school district owns property. 

While some risks on school grounds are easily identified, others aren’t so easy to identify. Some schools fail to see the risks associated with having chemicals in a classroom, maintenance facility or other building. Others may understand the risks, but a budget shortfall or de-prioritization may prevent them from taking action. But, they should apply the same risk-mitigation strategies to managing chemicals at school as they do to preventing student injuries in the gymnasium. 

Uncovering Environmental Risks at Your School 

At any point in time, just about any chemical could be on your school grounds without your knowledge. At one Ohio high school, Rader recently found bromine, a highly-corrosive liquid that’s an acute inhalation hazard stored under the gym’s risers!

Diesel fuel may be sitting in your maintenance garage, stored in containers not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or Department of Transportation (DOT) – two federal agencies that oversee hazardous waste management and transportation. 

Make sure your school doesn’t have elemental mercury or mercury-containing devices on school grounds. Also, make sure the chemicals you have aren’t a domestic terrorist threat. Some chemicals used by universities or R&D facilities have certain reporting requirements managed by the Department of Homeland Security. These substances could do major damage if they get into the wrong hands.

mercury

Dangerous chemicals may even be accessible to students. Or, perhaps you are managing chemicals at school in your stockroom that should be kept in a flammable liquid storage cabinet by law. 

A safety data sheet (SDS) should be on file for every chemical in your school to protect teachers and students. 

Every school should be fully aware of the risks each chemical presents to the environment, its students and its faculty.   

Conduct a Districtwide Risk Assessment

A risk assessment is a thorough examination of your environment to identify situations, substances, processes, etc., that may cause harm. An effective risk assessment for managing chemicals at school protects health and life, ensures compliance with local, state and federal laws, and takes into account best practices. 

After conducting a risk assessment, your school should evaluate how likely – and how severe –  the risk is. Then, determine which measures should be in place to eliminate or control the harm.

Many schools have management plans and procedures in place but how frequently are they updated? As a best practice, we recommend conducting an annual examination of your environmental liabilities once a year, or hire an environmental consultant to conduct the audit. 

Create a Chemical Management Plan at Your School 

When developing an effective chemical risk assessment plan, start by taking a complete inventory of your school’s chemicals. Ultimately, your school board is responsible for knowing exactly which chemicals are on their property. 

A sound chemical management plan also looks good to your district’s insurance provider and has strong public relations value. Parents of your students will likely rest easier knowing that dangerous or toxic chemicals are properly managed. 

Tips for Effective Chemical Management 

One sound piece of advice: Make sure you don’t possess a substance that is beyond your knowledge as a user. If you don’t understand how that chemical is used in the lab, how it affects one’s lungs when inhaled, or how it reacts to water or to air, you probably shouldn’t own it. The key to properly managing chemicals at school is proper control.

Know which members of your staff have access to these chemicals or substances. Are these staff members trained in using these chemicals? Ensure that they’re properly secured and stored away from students or other faculty members who may not know how to handle them.

Here are some tips for creating an effective plan for managing chemicals at school:

  • For science teachers: Analyze the risk associated with managing each chemical in your classroom. Keep in mind that some of the properties in these chemicals can exhibit both acute and chronic hazards. 
  • For facilities managers: Analyze the risk associated with managing each chemical, including paint, pool-treatment chemicals, fertilizers, gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.
  • Don’t stockpile chemicals simply because they were free or you inherited them from another department, retired teacher or a private company. Instead of educating students, these chemicals are more likely to take up storage space or create environmental hazards. If you’re not sure when to dispose of certain chemicals in your classroom, consult with a third-party chemical waste manager. 
  • If you have too much of any one chemical on hand, make a plan to properly remove and dispose of it. 
  • Always be cognizant of how a spill would impact your school and its environment.
  • If there is a spill at your school, make sure you have specialists on hand or immediate access to specialists who know how to handle it. 

Segregating Laboratory Chemicals 

Different schools utilize different storage-segregation schemes for chemical stockrooms. Science teachers should identify which schemes they prefer, and then segregate their chemicals accordingly.

Segregating and maintaining proper inventory are the most critical steps a school can take when it comes to effective chemical management. 

storage cabinet

How to Dispose of Chemical Waste  

Before the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the set of EPA laws governing proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste, many schools may have disposed of chemicals down the drain or in the local county landfill.

Some chemicals at your school can still be poured down the drain, while others cannot. Some chemicals can be neutralized with sodium hydroxide, for instance, and poured down the drain when the chemical’s proper pH is achieved. However, we recommend that an expert in hazardous waste management helps you make those decisions.

However, if your school decides to neutralize chemicals in large quantities, make sure you have notified and are in compliance with your local wastewater treatment facility. Another consideration when dumping chemicals into the watershed is your location. The chemicals may impact a rural area’s septic system differently than a municipality’s sewer system.

Off-Site Disposal Requires Proper Shipping 

The generator is responsible for determining whether it has hazardous waste on its premises or not. It can be a daunting task to make this determination, so you might want to hire an outside firm for guidance. A third-party company can also save you money by recycling chemicals, neutralizing them so they don’t have to be incinerated, or help you avoid a citation by the EPA.

If your school determines that it has chemical waste, consult with an expert hazardous waste management company to help you determine how it should be handled. In addition, the DOT requires that every chemical shipped as waste off-site has proper packaging, is correctly manifested and is compliant with the DOT.

How to Purchase and Order Chemicals 

While it may be easy to manage and order office supplies, managing and ordering chemicals is a whole different ball game. They both have risk levels, but both activities clearly present two different levels of risk to your students, faculty and support staff. 

Whether ordering chemicals for experiments students are conducting or fuel for your district’s buses, are you purchasing the right substances? For instance, your lawn care/facilities department may frequently purchase harsh chemicals or fertilizers for lawn management and care. But it might be possible to source a sustainable or environmentally friendly substance, or one with non-hazardous properties, for instance.

One way to know if you’re investing in the correct chemical is to trust an expert with nearly four decades of experience to advise your school. 

Leave It to the Experts: Managing Chemicals at School 

teacher in classroom managing chemicals

Teachers are paid to teach students to learn, not to manage environmental health and safety (EHS) concerns. Rader can handle all aspects of chemical management for your school district, including taking inventory, making recommendations for chemical purchases based on your current and future curriculum, and saving you money when purchasing chemicals. 

How often do you need to do this? We recommend doing a “clean sweep” every year to cut costs and mitigate risk. 

Side view portrait of two workers wearing biohazard suits working at waste processing plant sorting recyclable plastic on conveyor belt

If you’re ready for an expert to manage your school’s chemical inventory, then

Contact Rader.

Environmental Solutions Green Living Hazardous Waste Removal

Putnam County Hosts Household Hazardous Waste Day

Rader Environmental assisted residents of Putnam County in removing household hazardous waste from residences on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. The Putman County Solid Waste District and the Putnam County Sherriff’s Office sponsored the annual event, which removes latex and oil-based paint, lightbulbs, batteries, medications and other hazardous materials from Putnam County residences. Rader Environmental recycles approximately 90% of the waste it receives from local residents.

Below is the full story, which originally appeared on Hometown Stations of Lima, OH.

Watch Household Hazardous Waste Video

Coronavirus Hazardous Waste Removal Manufacturing

Dealing with the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the Workplace

During these challenging times filled with so much negative news, we want to provide some helpful tips on dealing with the COVID-19 coronavirus in the workplace.

For starters, we encourage all of our clients and friends to take good care of themselves. If you exhibit symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus, follow the protocol outlined by the (CDC). The CDC advises that you stay home, except to receive medical care. If you are mildly ill with COVID-19, you should self-isolate at home. Further limit your exposure by avoiding public transportation, taxis and ride-sharing services. 

The World Health Organization has also released a set of guidelines on how to protect yourself from contracting the coronavirus. The organization even provides tips for traveling, although not recommended, during this pandemic.

20 Steps to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus in the Workplace 

While taking care of yourself should be a top priority, here are 20 actionable tips to get through the coronavirus in the workplace: 

  1. Wash your hands for at least 30 seconds
  2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth 
  3. Cough or sneeze into your elbow 
  4. Practice social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from people and crowds of under 100, or avoid congregating in general
  5. In your office and workspace, keep hand sanitizers or sanitizing wipes out in the open so people remember to use them 
  6. Use all cleaning and disinfectant products as directed on the back of the bottle or container in order to kill the virus
  7. Wipe down work areas and surfaces frequently with a disinfectant
  8. Ask guests to wash their hands when they come into your workplace 
  9. For necessary meetings, harness technology like Google Hangouts or a free, on-demand video meeting service 
  10. Postpone non-essential travel plans for business meetings, client acquisitions, etc. 
  11. Work remotely as much as possible
  12. Work split shifts or flexible hours if your employer allows it 
  13. Keep hand sanitizers or wipes near your doors as doorknobs are filled with germs 
  14. Always wear the prescribed personal protective equipment (PPE) for any job you are doing, including nitrile or latex gloves 
  15. Keep nitrile gloves in your vehicle for pumping gas since the handles are filled with germs and bacteria 
  16. Keep wipes and/or sanitizer in your car so you can wipe down door handles, dashboard, steering wheel, gear stick and any other places that you touch frequently 
  17. Wipe down your cell phone often with a disinfectant that contains at least 70% isopropyl alcohol
  18. Handle cash as infrequently as possible by using a credit card or conducting transactions online 
  19.  Wipe down your credit card(s) with a disinfecting wipe after each use 
  20.  When you accept a package from a delivery person, wipe down the box while wearing nitrile or latex gloves 

factory worker

No Interruption in Service at Rader

Rader Environmental Services will continue to operate without an interruption in service. As of now, we don’t anticipate a slowdown in our ability to respond to the needs of our clients. We are here to serve your hazardous material removal, disposal and safety needs.

Contact us today if you have any questions about dealing with the coronavirus in your workplace.

Hazardous Waste Removal Industrial Waste Industry PFAS

What’s All the “PFAS” About?

If you have not yet heard of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) it’s time to get up to speed. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are a broad family of chemicals that have a strong persistence in the environment. Aptly nicknamed, these substances will remain in the environment forever, never to biodegrade. These toxic chemicals are used in a variety of industries and products. The most common PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). These chemicals are so potent that acceptable exposure levels are measured in parts per trillion. 

To help you understand more about these potent chemicals, where they are found, and how they can be removed from your environment, Rader Environmental Services has compiled a list of commonly asked questions and responses about PFAS.

Question: Where can one find PFAS?

Answer: Nearly 400 contamination sites have been identified in the United States alone. The PFAS research team at Northeastern University has created a PFAS Contamination Site Tracker listing contamination sites across the United States, along with information about the sites. More than half of the sites are military bases. As a result, the U.S. Department of Defense has spotlighted the need to find solutions to this contamination problem.

The primary source of contamination seems to be from the release of firefighting foam, which is responsible for approximately 69% of all contamination sites currently identified by Northeastern University. The next largest source is manufacturing facilities where metal and plastic plating occurred, accounting for approximately 6% of the contamination sites. Other sources of contamination include carpet and fabric coating manufacturers, leather tanneries and paper-product manufacturers. DuPont and 3M production sources combined accounted for roughly 4% of the contamination sources.

Q: What are the health effects, and how are people exposed?

A: A recent study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates more than 60 million U.S. residents have been exposed to unacceptable levels of these toxic substances. Some experts suspect the number of exposed persons to be even higher.

Studies on the health effects of PFAS are limited and scientists are still learning about the effects of overexposure. However, some studies indicate that they may interfere with the body’s hormones, cholesterol levels and immune system. It could also increase the risk of developing cancer.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), exposure to PFAS can occur in several ways, including:

  • Drinking PFAS-contaminated municipal or well water
  • Eating food from contaminated water or soil
  • Eating food packaged in material that contains PFAS
  • Ingestion of contaminated dust
  • Using PFAS-containing products

drinking water

While research suggests that exposure to PFAs from consumer products is relatively low, these chemicals can be found in many commonly used products, including:

  • Grease-resistant paper, fast-food containers/wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes and candy wrappers
  • Non-stick cookware
  • Stain-resistant coatings used on carpets, upholstery and other fabrics
  • Water-resistant clothing
  • Cleaning products
  • Personal care products (shampoo, dental floss) and cosmetics (nail polish, eye makeup)

Although PFAS has been banned in many U.S. manufacturing processes, components manufactured abroad or regenerated using recycled materials may contain these chemicals. Exposure to babies can occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding if the mother has been exposed to PFAS. Individuals directly involved in PFAS manufacturing can also be exposed via inhalation, accidental ingestion or skin contact.

Q: What legislative and regulatory actions are being taken to address this problem?

Timeline 

A: In December 2019, 14 new PFAS were added to the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) monitoring and reporting program as part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Regulated businesses will be required to monitor these substances, and begin annual reporting by July 1, 2021. The EPA is also considering adding yet additional PFAS to the list of toxic chemicals subject to TRI reporting. The public comment period on the proposed additions closed on February 3.

On January 13, 2020, the House of Representatives approved the PFAS Action Act of 2019 (H.R. 535). If passed, the act would require the EPA to designate certain PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) as hazardous substances within one year, and possibly all of these chemicals within five years. However, H.R. 535 is likely to face significant hurdles in the Senate.

In July 2019, 22 state attorneys general sent a letter to Congress urging that contamination be addressed. Rep. Frank Pallone, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has prioritized PFAS for investigation this year.

PFAS laws

In February 2019, the EPA issued a federal PFAS Action Plan to address drinking water, monitoring and research activities, enforcement, cleanup, risk communications, and toxic evaluations. Under the plan, the EPA has issued “lifetime health advisory” standards of 70 parts per trillion, measured in nanograms per liter (ng/l) for both PFOA and PFOS. Fulfilling part of its plan, the EPA released PFAS groundwater guidance for federal clean-up programs.

Q: What’s happening on the state level?

A: Individual states are also taking action to regulate these substances. The Ohio EPA issued it’s own PFAS Action Plan for Drinking Water in December 2019. The Ohio plan calls for a comprehensive sampling of 1,500 public water systems for contamination by the end of 2020. The results of the effort will provide significant information about the extent of PFAS in public water systems and will guide potential remediation actions. Other states including New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Delaware, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Colorado, Alaska, Maine, and Texas have started regulating PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, and consumer products.

Q: What legal actions are taking place in response to contamination?

A: We have already seen a number of legal actions in the United States related to contamination. In Giovanni v. United States Department of the Navy, brought under Pennsylvania’s Hazardous Site Cleanup Act (HSCA), the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found that the HSCA did not regulate either PFOS or PFOA. Pennsylvania state regulators are currently considering legislation to provide relief to individuals exposed to these chemicals.

In a recent consent decree filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. agreed to pay up to $69.5 million in connection to contamination found in drinking water in Michigan’s townships of Plainfield and Algoma.

There have also been international legal proceedings such as the planned class action of 500 landowners against the Australian Federal Government in connection with PFAS-containing firefighting foam chemicals used at RAAF Pearce airbase.


Outlook: Is PFAS here to stay?

Outlook

Due to their strong chemical makeup and inability to biodegrade, the PFAS debate will remain front and center with environmentalists, the EPA, the Department of Defense and myriad state legislatures. As legislative action continues, we will see stricter standards for shipping, handling and disposing of PFAS by the EPA, the Department of Transportation, state agencies and hazardous waste disposal facilities nationwide. 

If you have other questions about PFAS or would like to know how to remove it from your workplace, contact Rader Environmental Services.

hazardous waste disposal Hazardous Waste Removal Mercury Mercury Spills and Removal

Disturbed Mercury: Why a Mercury Spill Is So Toxic

Mercury is a heavy, silver-colored element used in a variety of industries. While mercury has many uses, it should always be handled and transported safely if spilled. Disturbed mercury is especially dangerous because of the hazardous vapors it releases into the environment. If you don’t know how to handle and transport mercury properly, there could be toxic – or even fatal – consequences.

Watch This Video: Mercury – The Hazard You Don’t See


Disturbed mercury

Courtesy of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services 


Undisturbed, contained mercury is like a hornets’ nest tucked underneath a doorway that rarely sees the light of day. But that hornets’ nest has the potential to wreak havoc on its surroundings if disturbed or poked. Once disturbed, a swarm of angry, stinging hornets is headed your way! The same holds true for disturbed mercury: It can wreak havoc on its surroundings by releasing odorless and colorless vapors that are harmful when inhaled.

DOT Compliance EPA Hazardous Waste Removal Lab Packs

What Is a Lab Pack?

A “lab pack” is an accumulation of unwanted or obsolete chemicals that range in size from less than 2 ml to 5 gallons and placed in approved containers by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for safe shipping. An absorbent material, such as vermiculite, must be placed around the contents in each container. These containers vary in size from 5 gallons to 55-gallon drums. 

Two primary federal agenciesthe DOT and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)oversee transportation, shipping, and disposal of unwanted or obsolete chemicals. Sometimes these chemicals are considered to be hazardous waste, while other times they can be non-hazardous. 

Lab packing is a very effective way for companies, schools, colleges, and universities to remove unwanted or obsolete chemicals.


How to Create a Lab Pack 

First, a chemist begins the lab pack disposal process by identifying, categorizing, and segregating each chemical based on DOT and EPA requirements, chemical characteristics and disposal facility guidelines. Each disposal company has its own unique requirements for shipping and handling chemical waste, so be sure you’re following their guidelines as well. 

Some companies, schools or universities may have significant amounts of unwanted chemicals on site. But they can’t all be packed in a FedEx box and shipped together. Mixing non-compatible chemicals into a lab pack container can impact the health and safety of anyone who comes into contact with the container. In fact, combining chemicals that react with one another could have deadly consequences.


The Waste Stream Combinations Number in the Thousands

Before being shipped offsite, a chemist should separate each chemical, according to DOT regulations. The chemicals need to be organized based on their 1) hazard class, packing group, and 3) proper shipping name.

For instance, most flammable liquids can be packed into one container, while oxidizers must be packed in a separate lab pack. There are more types of waste streams than just flammable liquids and oxidizers, however. The DOT has nine shipping classes (placards pictured below), but there are over 2,500 hazardous materials that can be transported for disposal!

 

hazardous materials placards

A chemist or hazmat expert must have knowledge of each of the chemical’s constituents in order to properly assemble a lab pack that complies with DOT regulations, EPA requirements and disposal company guidelines. 

Separating Chemicals into Lab Packs Can Be Tedious

Creating a compliant lab pack isn’t an easy process: It can often be complex. After each chemical is separated into packs based on their hazard level, toxicity, DOT requirements, EPA requirements, and disposal facility requirements, a hazardous materials expert begins packing the substances into DOT-conforming containers for that particular hazard class. These can include cardboard, metal or poly containers. Then, the lab pack expert carefully places each chemical into the container, surrounded by an ample amount of absorbent.


How to Properly Dispose of Lab-Packed Chemicals 

Now it’s time to dispose of these lab packs. Each one of the containers must be labeled with specific information required by DOT, the EPA, and the disposal facility; manifested, and transported by a licensed hazardous waste transporter.

Once the disposal facility receives the lab packs, they properly manage the destruction of the chemicals within the containers. Some of these substances can be recycled for fuel blending, while others are neutralized, incinerated, landfilled or treated.

As often as possible, Rader aims to facilitate the recycling of these substances for re-use into other chemicals or products. 

Contact Rader Environmental Services to see how we can help remove your obsolete or unwanted chemicals. 

hazardous waste disposal Hazardous Waste Removal

Rader Handles Household Hazardous Materials

If you’re moving out of your house, about to embark upon a deep cleaning of the home you’ve lived in for decades, or simply want to clear the chemical clutter from your living space, turn to the experts at Rader Environmental Services. We can safely handle and process of all the household hazardous waste on your Hancock County property.

Prioritize Your Family’s Health and Safety

Health and Safety household hazardous waste - photo of baby looking in cardboard box

Household hazardous waste or unused/unwanted chemicals can be found in a variety of places: under your kitchen sink, in the garage, in a shed, inside a barn or anywhere else on your property. Common household waste includes paint, household cleaners, old laptops, light bulbs, batteries, motor oil, mercury devices, pesticides and more. These items should never be thrown in the trash, dumped in a landfill or poured down the drain because they will contaminate your community’s drinking water, the land where your food is grown, and the air we all breathe.

Here’s a complete list of the household hazardous waste Rader can handle in Findlay, OH, Hancock County and all of Northwest Ohio.

Old aerosol can - household hazardous waste

  • Aerosol Cans
  • Ammonia
  • Antifreeze
  • Batteries: Lead-acid, Nickel-cadmium (NiCd), alkaline, lithium
  • Brake Fluid
  • Bleach
  • Cell phones
  • Computers, laptops, tablets
  • Electronics
  • Gasoline
  • Household cleaners
  • Herbicides/Pesticides
  • Latex paint
  • Mercury
  • Mercury-containing devices
  • Motor oil
  • Oil-based paint
  • Paint thinners
  • Pesticides
  • Pool cleaners and chemicals
  • Propane
  • Stains and varnishes
  • Solvents
  • Transmission fluid
  • Wood stripper

Household hazardous Waste Requires Special Handling - photo of hazardous waste in garage

 

Household Waste Requires Special Handling

Unlike aluminum cans or old newspapers, household hazardous waste requires special care, handling, and attention. The Rader team has in-depth knowledge of E.P.A. best practices, extensive on-the-job experience, as well as Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) training to ensure your waste is handled safely and properly.

As a result of this training, we can advise you on the best ways to dispose of your hazardous waste. Most importantly, we can quickly and conveniently remove dangerous chemicals from your residence, making the environment safe and healthy for generations to come.

Safely dispose of household hazardous waste in Ohio -photo of house exterior

For nearly a decade, we have helped residents of Hancock and Putnam counties safely dispose of their household hazardous waste. We can help you, too!

Contact Rader Environmental to help you dispose of your household hazardous waste.

 

Factory hazardous waste disposal Hazardous Waste Removal

Recycling Hazardous Waste Protects the Environment

Hazardous waste recycling is a top priority for Rader Environmental Services. As often as possible, we facilitate the recycling or re-use of unwanted chemicals for companies, universities, healthcare facilities, school systems, and residents.

How exactly do we facilitate hazardous waste recycling? We start by determining whether the unwanted chemicals are used commercially or in a residential setting. For commercial entities, a chemist visits your workplace, manufacturing facility, lab, etc., to assess your company’s unique waste disposal needs. Then, the chemist or remediation expert devises a swift and efficient strategy to remediate the waste.

Household Hazmats vs. Commercial Waste 

For Northwest Ohio residents, we partner with local governments to host household hazardous waste collection day events. We assist Litter Landing in the spring and summer months and partner with Putnam County on their household hazardous waste collection days.

Rader remediates tons of household hazardous waste by recycling it or sending it to a processing facility for re-use. Latex and oil-based paint, lead-acid batteries, and electronics are examples of waste that are perfect for hazardous waste recycling.


In 2019, Rader achieved a significant milestone. “We not only facilitated the removal of a substantial amount of chemicals and household hazardous waste from Northwest Ohio communities, but we recycled nearly 90% of this waste,” says Joe W. Rader, president of Rader Environmental Services.

Recycling Paint

For both commercial and residential clients, we manage the recycling of old latex paint into new latex paint. Similarly, oil-based and flammable paints are repurposed as fuel.

Downcycling Mercury Lamps

Did you know that there is a small amount of mercury present in lamps and other devices?  And a mercury-vapor lamp is a gas-discharge lamp that uses an electric arc through vaporized mercury to produce light. We salvage the mercury from light bulbs, fluorescent lights, CFLs and other devices for re-use as new lightbulbs, thermostats or other products. In addition, the aluminum in these devices gets a new life as scrap metal, and the glass is downcycled into new glass, concrete, ceramic tile, countertops and more.

Batteries Are Closed-Loop Recycled

The common alkaline battery is difficult to recycle, but a lead-acid battery is not. As a matter of fact, a lead-acid battery is “closed-loop recycled,” In other words, every part of the old battery is reused into a new battery! Car batteries are often lead-acid batteries, (making Rader a great choice for auto body and auto parts shops.)

Which Batteries Can Be Recycled - photo of batteries

 

Here’s how closed-loop recycling works for lead-acid batteries. A chemist or Environmental Health & Safety expert turns the acid into water through a process called neutralization. When the acid is processed, it converts to sodium sulfate, an odorless white powder used in manufacturing. It is also used in laundry detergent, glass, and textiles.

Rader facilitates the recycling of NiCd or nickel-cadmium batteries and lithium batteries. Oftentimes, we send these rechargeable batteries to facilities that handle and process cadmium, a heavy metal. A smelter reclaims nickel-cadmium batteries as stainless steel.

Used Motor Oil Gets a New Lease on Life

According to the E.P.A., “used oil can be re-refined into lubricants, processed into fuel oils, and used as raw materials for the refining and petrochemical industries. Additionally, used oil filters contain reusable scrap metal, which steel producers can reuse as scrap feed.”

For more information on removing or recycling hazardous waste from the environment, contact Rader today.

hazardous waste disposal Hazardous Waste Removal Marijuana Waste

How to Safely Dispose of Medical Marijuana Waste

Rader Environmental specializes in remediating hard-to-dispose of or “challenging” hazardous waste. Due to all the legal restrictions surrounding it, one challenging material to dispose of in Ohio is medical marijuana waste. Medical marijuana dispensaries and testing facilities often have this type of material on-site at their facilities. 

So, how do these cannabis generators turn their surplus waste product into a non-controlled substance? According to the Ohio Administrative Code, marijuana, or cannabis waste, must be destroyed by rendering it “unusable.” Well, how exactly is marijuana waste rendered unusable? By grinding the waste and incorporating it with other ground material, such as compost. 

When all is said and done, the resultant mixture must contain at least 50% non-marijuana waste. This mixture can then be safely disposed of in a landfill, incinerator or non-hazardous solid waste facility.

Two types of materials are used to render marijuana unusable:

1. Compostable Waste 

Marijuana can be combined with compostable mixed waste and disposed of as compost feedstock. It can also be rendered useless via another organic waste method, such as an anaerobic digester, and can be mixed with: food waste; yard waste; vegetable-based oils or grease; or other wastes approved by Ohio’s State Board of Pharmacy, such as biodegradable products and paper, clean wood, plant materials, fruits or vegetables.  

2. Non-Compostable Waste 

Cannabis waste to be disposed of in a landfill or by another method must be mixed with the following types of waste materials: Paper waste, cardboard waste, plastic waste, soil, or other wastes approved by the state, including non-recyclable plastic, leather, and broken glass.

If you utilize the aforementioned disposal methods, the State of Ohio considers your marijuana waste unusable. At that point, it can be remitted to a solid waste facility, landfill or incinerator for final disposal.

Rader Launches Marijuana Waste Disposal Program

To help marijuana waste generators maintain clean, compliant and environmentally sustainable facilities, Rader Environmental can provide a customized marijuana waste disposal solution for any generator of this controlled substance. Read more here: Rader Marijuana.

Generally speaking, our approach includes these five steps: 

1. Management Plan Assessment

A Rader disposal expert will visit your facility or site to conduct a free compliance audit. After gathering all of the information and assessing your needs, we will implement a final waste disposal process.

2. Training, SOPs and Best Practices

As part of the next step, we provide you with training on how to safely dispose of marijuana waste and implement an inventory management system. Having standard operating procedures in place ensures that you are compliant with all state and local laws.

3. Placement of Compliant Containers and Placards

We will provide you with, or make sure you are working with compliant Department of Transportation (DOT) waste containers. These receptacles are locked and contain proper placards and signage describing the waste product.

4. Compliant Waste Destruction

Rader understands how to render medical marijuana unusable. We follow all state and local regulatory laws to ensure your waste is safely destroyed. We also have the proper personnel on staff to oversee the waste destruction process from start to finish.

5. Efficient Recycling and Disposal Services 

Your company’s customized medical marijuana disposal solution includes the choice of recycling the waste product or landfill/incinerator disposal. Either way, you will be fully compliant with DOT and EPA regulations and laws. 

Can I Get a Witness? Yes, You Better! 

The State of Ohio requires all waste and unusable marijuana products to be weighed, recorded and entered into the dispensary or lab testing facility’s inventory tracking system prior to rendering it unusable. One of your company’s key employees must witness the destruction of the material in a designated area with fully functioning video surveillance. Records of electronic destruction and disposal of the waste are required to exist for at least three years. 

There are additional laws and guidelines for the proper disposal of marijuana waste. If you have any questions, consult with your local authorities or the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. We are also available to answer any questions you may have. 

Contact Rader Environmental to see how we can provide a customized solution for your medical marijuana waste disposal needs.

Hazardous Waste Removal Lab Packs and Disposal

Hazardous Waste You Should Remove to Ensure Compliance

Rader Environmental Services has extensive hazardous waste management experience. For over 30 years, we have conducted waste characterization, environmental auditing and production-process waste analysis for companies throughout Ohio and across the Midwest. 

From on-site packaging, labeling and manifesting hazardous waste to selecting proper facilities for even the most difficult waste streams, Rader’s system incorporates all facets of successful waste management.

Rader Environmental Services employs chemists and specialized technicians to sample, analyze and evaluate both hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and to determine the most suitable means and location for disposal.

Relationships with Disposal Facilities Result in Greater Efficiencies

Our strong relationships with a variety of waste disposal, treatment and recycling facilities, combined with our decades of experience in treating, abating and removing hazardous chemicals from workplace settings, give you a market advantage. They result in the most competitive pricing for the disposal of your hazardous waste and provide your organization with the highest level of efficiency. 

Armed with this knowledge and solid working relationships with these facilities, we can implement a program quickly and efficiently. We can oversee permits, documentation, and scheduling to result in complete compliance with all federal, state and local regulations.

With Rader’s flexible structure for service selection, a client or consultant can utilize any or all of our waste management services to custom design a waste management program. Here are a few materials that we dispose of and handle:

  • High-hazard chemicals: shock-sensitive, inhalation hazards
  • Universal waste  
  • Latex and oil-based paints 
  • Mercury waste
  • Elemental mercury
  • Cannabis and hemp waste 
  • Aerosol cans
  • LED batteries 
  • Catalysts
  • Contaminated soils
  • Coolants
  • Corrosive waste
  • Dioxins
  • Drummed waste
  • Fluorescent bulb recovery
  • Non-regulated industrial waste
  • Oil filters
  • Organic contaminated waste
  • Cyanide wastes
  • PCB disposal
  • PCB transformers
  • Reactive/explosive management
  • Used oil

Contact Rader Environmental Services today to ensure your hazardous waste is properly disposed of and that your facility is clean and compliant!