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ARS Home Northeast Area Docs SH&E







Acceptable Drain Disposal Proceduresheadline bar GENERAL GUIDELINES FORDRAIN DISPOSALWhatSend down the drain only those materials found on the safe list.Compounds not listed are not suitable for drain disposal.WhereDrain disposal must only be used when the drain flows to a sanitary sewer system * which eventually goes to the waste water treatment plant.Storm drain systems flow directly into surface water. (Fall or Cascadilla Creeks, for example) and should NEVER be used for chemical disposal.Floordrains may flow to storm sewers and should never be used for disposal.Laboratory sinks should be used for disposal of chemicals on the safe list as discussed below.How MuchQuantities of chemical waste for drain disposal should be limited generally to a few hundred grams or milliliters or less per day.Larger amounts should have prior approval from Life Safety Services.Only materials listed as safe for drain disposal in this document are approved for drain disposal in quantities up to 100 g or 100 ml per discharge.Disposal should be followed by flushing with at least 100-fold excess ofwater at the sink. (That means that for 100 mlof chemical, run the water for about two minutes at maximum flow.)SafetyUnderstand the hazards and toxicity of the materials you work with by consulting material safety data sheets (available in the BTI library ingreen file folders underneath the checkout desk).Work slowly to avoid splashes and wear the proper protective equipment (lab coat, goggles, face shield, gloves) during draindisposal.* Sanitary sewer is the system of sinks, toilets, drains and associated pipes that send waste water to a treatment plant where it is biologically and chemically treated before discharge into the environment..Safe List for Drain DisposalInorganicsDilute solutions of inorganic salts where both cation and anion are listed below are suitable for drain disposal.Materials listed are considered to be relatively low in toxicity.Compounds of any of these ions that are strongly acidic or basic should be neutralized before drain disposal.CationsAnionsOrganic Acid AnionsAl3+B033-acetateB4072-Ca2+Br-formateFe2+3+C032-propionateH+Cl-K+HS03-Buffers (exceptLi+0CN-cacodylate orMg2+0H-arsenic buffers)Na+I-pH3NH4+N03-pH4Sn2+P043-pH7Sr2+S042pH10Ti3+4+SCN-Tris bufferZr2+Mineral acids and bases should be neutralized to pH5.5 to 9 range before disposal, following approved procedures.Copper and Zinc have specific discharge limits required by the Sewage Treatment Plant.Contact the Office of Environmental Health at 255-4862 or the Office of Life Safety Services at 255-8200 prior to discharging any copper or zinc.OrganicsMaterials listed below in quantities up to about 100 g or 100 ml at a time are suitable for disposal down the drainwhile flushing withexcess water.These materials are soluble to at least 3 percent, present low toxicity hazards and are readilybiodegradable.AlcoholsAlkanois with 4 or fewer carbon atomsmethanolethanolethanolpropanol and isomersbutanol and isomersAlkanediols with 7 or fewer carbon atomsethylene glycolpropylene glycolbutylene glycolbutanediol and its isomerspentylene glycolpentanediol and its isomershexylene glycolhexanediol and its isomersheptamethylene glycolheptanediol and its isomersAlkoxyalkanols with 6 or fewer carbon atomsmethoxyethanolethoxyethanolbutoxyethanol2-methoxyethoxyethanol-C4H9OCH2CH20CH2CH2OH(2(2bu-toxyethoxy)ethanolAldehydesAliphatic aldehydes with 4 or fewer carbon atomsacetaldehydepropanal (propionaldehyde)butanal (butyraldehyde)isobutyraldehydeAmidesRCONH2and RCONHR with 4 or fewer carbon atomsRCONR2with 10 or fewer carbon atomsformamide-methyl formamideN,N-diethyl formamideN,N-dimethyl formamide-ethyl formamideacetamide-methyl acetamideN,N-dimethyl acetamide-ethyl acetamidepropionamide-methyl propionamideN,N-dimethyl propionamidebutyramideisobutyramideAminesaAliphatic amines with 6 or fewer carbon atomsmethylamineethylaminetrimethylamine-ethyl methylamineN-methyl propylaminedimethyl propylamineisopropylamine1-ethyl butylaminebutylaminemethyl butylamine-ethyl butylamineisobutylamineamylaminehexylamineaThose with a disagreeable odor, such as dimethylamine and 1,4 butanediamine should be neutralized, and the resulting salt solutions flushed down the drain, diluted with at least 100 volumes of water.Disposal limit is 100 ml of material.Aliphatic diamines with 6 or fewer carbon atoms1,2-or 1,3-propanediamine (1,2- or 1,3-diaminopropane)Carboxylic AcidsAlkanoic acids with 5 or fewer carbon atomsbformic acidacetic acidpropionic acidbutyric acidisobutyric acidvaleric acidisovaleric acidAlkanedioic acids with 5 or fewer carbon atomsoxalic acid (1,2-ethanedioic acid)malonic acid (1,3-propanedioic acid)succinic acid (1,4-butanedioic acid)glutaric acid (1,5-pentanedioic acid)Hydroxyalkanoic acids with 5 or fewer carbon atomslactic acid (2-hydroxypropanoic acid)3-hydroxybutyric acid2-hydrocy isobutyric acidAminoalkanoic acids with 6 or fewer carbon atoms and the ammonium, sodium and potassium salts of these acids.Amino acids and the ammonium, sodium and potassium salts of these acids.bThose with a disagreeable odor, such as butyric acids and valeric acids should be neutralized and the resulting salt solutions flushed down the drain, diluted with at least 100 volumes of water.Disposal limit is 100 ml of material.EstersEsters with 4 or fewer carbon atomsmethyl formateethyl formateisopropyl formatepropyl formatemethyl acetateethyl acetatemethyl propionateisopropyl acetateKetonesKetones with 4 or fewer carbon atomsacetonemethyl ethyl ketone (butanone)methyl isopropyl ketone (3-methyl butanone)Sulfonic Acids and the Ammonium, Sodium, and Potassium Salts of theses acidsmethane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium saltethane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-propane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-butane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-pentane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-hexane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1- heptane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1- octane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-decane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-dodecane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-tetradecane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium salt1-hexadecane sulfonic acid, sodium or potassium saltChemicals that are not appropriate for drain disposal are collected by local safety office coordinator, or insome cases may be disposed at the dumpster.Procedures for disposal are detailed in local chemical hygiene plans.Not safe for drain disposal.The following materials are prohibited from drain disposal by the City of Ithaca:Ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feather, tar, plastics, wood, manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, paint residues, solid or viscous substances capable of causing obstruction to the flow of sewers.Some chemicals that are not appropriate for drain disposal include:Ether (both ethyl and methyl ethers)Halogenated hydrocarbonsNitro compoundsMercaptansFlammables (immiscible inwater)Explosives such as azides and peroxidesWater soluble polymers that could form gels in the sewer systemWater reactive materialsMalodorous chemicalsToxic chemicals such as carcinogens, mutagens, teratogensChloroformSubstances that boil below 50o C.Mixtures that have a component not found on the safe list.Any material not found on the safe list.Checkwith the Office of Environmental Health at 255-4862 or the Office of Life Safety Services 255-8200 if you are not certain about drain disposal for a particularmaterial.We may also be able to provide you with instructions forlaboratorydestruction for some materials.


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