EH&S is responsible for managing the disposal of hazardous materials on campus. A lab clean-out is a process used to remove a larger quantity of hazardous material from a given space that would not be practical to submit for the typical weekly pick-up or where additional expertise is needed. EH&S can assist with the removal of biological, chemical, or radiological material you would like removed from your laboratory. To requst a laboratory clean-out, submit a request using the request button below. EH&S staff will review your responses and contact you to initiate next steps.
Clean-Out Expectations
When a request is submitted, EH&S staff will review and schedule the process with occupants based on EH&S availability and the complexity of the clean-out. This process may take several weeks, so please plan accordingly.
This is generally a free service provided by EH&S; however, EH&S may charge labs/departments for costs associated with excessive cleanup, improper disposal, improper labeling, or other egregious waste violations.
Continue below for specific information regarding lab clean-outs involving biological, chemical, and radiological hazards.
Clean-out of Radiological Labs
Contact
Biological Safety
biosafety@fpm.wisc.edu
Office: 608-263-2037
Chemical Safety
chemsafety@wisc.edu
Office: 608-265-5700
Radiation Safety
radiationsafety@wisc.edu
Office: 608-262-3200
Biological Lab Clean-Outs
If you are moving or shutting down a biological lab, or just de-cluttering, you may generate a lot of items that are no longer needed. If you have questions about how to dispose of a large volume of biological samples or related items, please contact Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) at chemsafety@wisc.edu. Examples include moldy or leaky items, combined chemical/biological samples, or fixed samples in formalin or ethanol. However, we can also provide information about disposal of most types of research materials, such as old or broken lab electronics, glassware, sharps, etc. We are very willing to visit your current lab space and give you helpful information that will likely save you time. In certain circumstances, we may also be able to give hands-on assistance.
Please plan ahead, especially if you are moving out of a lab space. Preparations for a laboratory move or shutdown are very time-consuming and shouldn’t wait until the last minute. Remember that a lab being vacated must be left clean and ready for the next occupants to move in. If you are moving to a new location, please discard or give away unwanted items rather than moving them to the new location. Check for materials used by your laboratory in shared areas of the building, such as core facilities or walk-in cold rooms. Also check for your lab’s materials in storage areas such as basements.
When you contact EHS regarding a lab clean-out or clean-up, we may request initial information about your timeline, an estimate of the amount of materials, and a general idea of the type of assistance needed. For instance, do you have a benchtop or single freezer full of materials, or an entire lab?
EH&S may charge labs/departments for costs associated with excessive cleanup, improper disposal, improper labeling, or other egregious waste violations.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. We are here to help!
Chemical Lab Clean-Outs
If you have a large chemical stockpile (> 50 containers over 100 grams each) that is too big for a standard Chemical Pickup Request, you may want to schedule a lab clean-out.
Examples of when to request a lab clean-out include, but are not limited to:
- When your lab has completed a lab move. Please do not move your unwanted chemicals. Leave them on a shelf in your old lab that says, “For Chemical Safety Removal”.
- When your lab has decided to end its operations.
- When the chemical stockpile in your lab has become too large and old.
During a lab clean-out, chemical disposal experts will help you sort your large amounts of chemicals and remove all dangerous items. We will also assist you with bulk disposal of flammable liquids, safely neutralizing acids, and the disposal of non-hazardous compounds and normal trash items.
Lab clean-outs are best when we work together, and your assistance is very important to us. We need your expertise in order to evaluate the stock of chemicals and identify items with missing or unidentifiable labels.
Please note: When we are helping you segregate chemicals, we appreciate having fume hood space and a good lab sink nearby. Also, we like to schedule the lab clean-outs for dates/times that work well with both of our schedules.
Generally, most of the lab clean-outs are scheduled for Thursdays and are completed in the order requests are received.
EH&S may charge labs/departments for costs associated with excessive cleanup, improper disposal, improper labeling, or other egregious waste violations.
Radiation Safety Section
Radioactive Material
Spaces in which radioactive materials were used or stored are required to be surveyed and cleared by ORS staff before being released for non-radiation use purposes.
Before this survey can be conducted, all radioactive materials should be requested to be removed from the space via the Radioactive Material Disposal Guidelines Radioactive Material Disposal Guidelines.
Once all material has been removed from the space, ORS can come and perform the clearance survey of the space(s), which may include meter surveying and wiping areas to discover contamination.
Any equipment that contains a radioactive source or that potentially encountered radioactive materials must be tested and cleared by ORS prior to handling for disposal.
After the space(s) have been closed out, any “Caution: Radioactive Materials” labels or markings will be removed ORS staff and the space will be released for general use.
Laser Devices
Follow UW–Madison equipment disposition guidelines and receive written approval from property control for all lasers intended for disposal. The guidelines can be found as follows:
Equipment Disposition Guidelines Equipment Disposition Guidelines
- Once ORS receives this completed form, we will contact you and work together to guide you through the disposal/transfer process.
- Lasers can be returned to the manufacturer or transferred/donated to another institution. The transfer/donation must be approved by the ORS.
- Some lasers can be listed for resale at UW-SWAP (Surplus with a Purpose) auction website and some cannot. Coordinate with ORS before sending any lasers to SWAP.
- Lasers can be disposed of through recycling/metal scrap disposal. Lasers intended for disposal shall not be moved anywhere from the original location without ORS approval.
X-Ray Devices
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- X-rays devices can be returned to the manufacturer or transferred/donated to another institution. The transfer/donation must be approved by the ORS.
- X-ray devices can not be listed for resale at UW-SWAP (Surplus with a Purpose) auction website.
- X-Ray devices can be disposed of through recycling/metal scrap disposal but do need to be rendered inoperable by ORS before being disposed. Devices intended for disposal shall not be moved anywhere from the original location without ORS approval.Once ORS receives this completed form, we will contact you and work together to guide you through the disposal/transfer process.