Drexel University Glass Waste Policy

In response to state law, Drexel University maintains a glass and metal recycling program. To be successful, however, university faculty, staff and students must understand what materials are acceptable for recycling, and what materials should be disposed of as either trash or chemically contaminated waste.

Four different waste containers are available:

-   Green or gray glass/metal recycling bins provided by Facilities Management

-   Yellow cans for lab glass recycling provided by Facilities Management

-   Tan bins for Biohazard sharps provided by Safety and Health

-   Cardboard plastic-lined broken glass waste containers (Fisher, PGC Scientific or equivalent) to be provided by each department

Glass/metal waste should be segregated as follows:

-   Glass soda and juice bottles, aluminum soda cans, plastic soda bottles, etc. (i.e., consumer waste) should be placed in the green or gray glass/metal recycling bins. They should not be disposed of in the yellow cans.

-   Chemical apparatus (e.g., beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, Pasteur pipets, etc.) made out of borosilicate glass (trade names include Pyrex or Kimax) cannot be recycled. Both unbroken and broken apparatus must be placed in the cardboard broken glass containers. It is the responsibility of each department to provide these cardboard broken glass containers.

-   Brown bottles (such as empty chemical reagent bottles) cannot be recycled. After they are single rinsed and the labels defaced* they must be disposed of in a cardboard broken glass container. Broken brown bottles should also be placed in the cardboard broken glass container.

-   Clear (white) glass bottles (such as empty chemical reagent bottles) can be recycled. After they are single rinsed and the labels defaced* they should be placed in the yellow cans.

-   Clear glass pipets and other lab apparatus made from flint glass can be recycled andshould be disposed of in the yellow cans.

-   Any glass, plastic, or metal apparatus or containers that have been in contact with a Biohazard material are considered Biohazardous sharps and must be placed in a tan or gray Biohazard sharps container and disposed of as a Biohazardous sharp.

*Any apparatus (e.g., empty reagent bottle, glass vial, Pasteur pipet, etc.) that has been in contact with a chemical reagent is considered contaminated with chemical residue. To recycle or dispose as trash of reagent bottles or chemical apparatus, the items must first be single rinsed and any chemical label defaced according to the following procedure:

1. All chemical residues must be removed by dissolution with an appropriate solvent (depending on the chemical). This solution should be saved for hazardous waste disposal.

2. The container should receive a final rinsing using tap water. The water may be disposed of down the sink drain. 

3. Any chemical label must be either completely removed or completely blacked out using permanent black marker or paint.

Any bottle or vial containing a significant amount of chemical residue should be saved for hazardous waste disposal.

Note that empty reagent bottles are excellent for the disposal of laboratory chemical wastes. 

Usage of the red 30 gallon trash cans or red 5 gallon buckets for mixed glass/metal waste must be discontinued. Red containers now indicate the presence of Biohazard materials, which must be handled in a specific manner.

Facilities Management personnel will pick up the green/gray and yellow recycling bins and the cardboard broken glass containers on a weekly basis. Biohazard sharps containers will be picked up on a monthly basis by Safety and Health. In the event that a Biohazard sharps container is filled before a regular pickup, please contact 215-895-2889 to schedule a pick-up of the full container.  

For further information, contact:

Mike Smith, Director of Housekeeping, Facilities Management, 215-895-1504

Phil Leo, University Hazardous Materials Manager, Safety & Health Dept., 215-895-2889

Rev. 12/15/00

A PDF version of the Glass Waste Policy can be downloaded here.

Copyright © 2002-2004, Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, All Rights Reserved.