1. Hazardous Waste Collection in Schools

2. What use to go in the garbage doesn’t anymore.
Regulation 347 (Ministry of Environment – Waste Management) sets out requirements for the handling, storage, management and disposal of liquid industrial and hazardous waste in Ontario.
What use to go in the garbage doesn’t anymore.

3. Hazardous wastes include:
Computer circuit boards and batteries
Aerosol cans
Cleaning products
Oil and automotive fluids
Paints
Biological and chemical
wastes from Science labs

4. Some products, such as aerosols, are flammable
Some products, such as aerosols, are flammable. Even empty they are a hazard and can not go in the garbage.
Batteries can corrode if dumped in a bucket.
They need to be stored safely until they can be properly disposed of

5. Some chemicals can become hazardous when
stored for extended periods of time and must
be disposed of. Some containers, especially
plastic fail.
Dating chemicals as they arrive helps with
waste management.

6. Some chemicals, such as insecticides, are no longer acceptable at schools.

7. Schools are classified as a waste generation facility therefore according to Regulation 347 school boards required to retain copies of manifests of hazardous waste disposal, as issued by the hazardous waste removal company.
This also means that staff can not take home items the board purchased/paid for and dispose of them at home or at a hazardous waste day.

8. The board or a school has to store the manifests in a binder or electronically, for at least two years. A board or school may be asked by a Ministry of Environment inspector to produce these records.
Every school has a Hazardous Waste Generator # which is located on the manifest

10. The good news is that the rules about disposal of hazardous waste are the same at work as they are at home.
The Ministry of the Environment has a comprehensive website and guide for businesses, institutions and home owners.
Every year Ontarians generate almost 13 million tonnes of waste – that’s a tonne per person.
Some household products like paint, solvents and pesticides contain hazardous materials that can be harmful to the environment if improperly managed.
All of us have a role to play at work and at home to keep these materials out of our landfills and waterways and keep our environment clean.
More info is available:

11. The Orange Drop program provides Ontario residents with a free, safe and easy way to dispose of those household products they use every day that require special handling when they are finished with them. Fully funded by industry under a model called extended producer responsibility (EPR), the businesses that produce and market the products managed under the Orange Drop program cover the costs of collection and disposal once the consumer has finished using their product.

12. Industry provided $39.4 million to fund the program in 2010
In 2010, the Orange Drop Program diverted through collection a total of: 26,482,462 kilograms of waste from landfills and waterways.
Included in this diversion, were:
11,165,716 kilograms of paints and coatings
– that’s about the weight of 2,427 adult African elephants
7,958,114 kilograms of oil filters
– that equals the weight of 151 City of Toronto transport trucks filled with Blue Box recycling
761,860 kilograms of single-use dry-cell batteries
– equivalent to the weight of 48 school buses

13. Research has shown that children and youth have a great deal of influence in their homes with respect to waste generation and disposal. As educators we can have a great impact modeling correct identification and disposal of hazardous waste.
Orange Drop provides free resources including videos, tip sheets, info sheets etc. on their website:

14. Do your part to manage hazardous waste.
Use the BUDS system:
BUY only what you need
USE it up
DIVERT what you don’t need
SAFELY DISPOSE of container and any residue.

15. Do your part to manage hazardous waste
Do your part to manage hazardous waste. When in doubt, don’t throw it out
Make the drop!