Waste Disposal

Any research equipment and furniture that may have been in contact with or may contain chemical, biohazardous or radioactive substances, must be decommissioned by Environmental Heath & Safety prior to disposal. Queen's University must ensure that all environmental hazards are removed in order to comply with existing regulations and to prevent any spread of contaminants into the environment.

There is no cost to individual departments, but a few simple procedures must be followed.

Decommissioning Steps:

1. Prepare a list of all items

• identify the item
• the make, model and serial number of each item is required
• include location of item(s)

2. Assist with the decommissioning

• Equipment that was used for radioactive materials must be swiped and a copy of the swipe records attached to equipment. Original copy of swipe records must be kept with laboratory radioactive records.
• Equipment used in a biohazard laboratory must be thoroughly decontaminated using the appropriate disinfectant.
• assemble all equipment in one place (if possible)
• supply operators manual etc. for equipment (if available)
• provide a contact name of the user/operator (if known)

3. Fill out and submit the Decommissioning Request Form

Access the Decommissioning Request Form. Please download the PDF, complete it and email it to safety@queensu.ca. Once a Decommissioning Request Form has been submitted a safety technician will then decommission the equipment and you may make the arrangements for final disposal. For further information  email safety@queensu.ca

4. Arrange for final disposal

Once the safety technician decommissions the furniture/equipment the item is ready for disposal. Disposal arrangements for unwanted items can be made by filling out the appropriate Physical Plant Services form. Please note that there are separate forms for electronic waste pick ups and furniture pick ups. PPS no longer accepts phone calls, emails or faxed requests for furniture and ewaste pick ups. Purtell schedules these pick ups weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

NOTE: There will be no pickup unless Environmental Health and Safety decommissions all items bound for disposal

Laboratory Closeout Procedure

• Download the Laboratory Decommissioning Procedures Checklist (PDF 21.6 KB)
• Perform the steps that apply to your laboratory
• Sign the form and have the Department Head review and sign
• Send the completed form to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety
• Environmental Health and Safety will inspect the laboratory to ensure that all conditions of this policy have been met.
• The completed approved form will be returned to the Department Head. Renovations may not begin, nor a new researcher take possession of the laboratory until the closeout has been approved by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety

Hazardous Waste Disposal