The Chemical Safety Office works with research laboratories on campus to manage all aspects of chemical hazardous waste.

The Hazardous Waste Management Program was designed to ensure that the collection, storage, and disposal of all hazardous chemical waste generated at Augusta University is done in compliance with federal, state, and local rules and regulations and to provide the details of in-process hazardous waste treatment procedures as approved by a Chemical Safety Officer.

Contact Us

Chemical Safety Office

Health Sciences Campus

Environmental Health & Safety Building

706-721-2663

706-721-9844

Campus Emergency:
706-721-2911

What is Hazardous Waste?

Hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. It can be solid, liquid, contained gas, or sludge. Hazardous waste is regulated under RCRA Subtitle C. In RCRA terms, it is defined as any waste that appears on one of the hazardous waste lists: 

  • D - Waste with characteristic properties or specific hazardous chemicals.

  • F - Waste from non-specific general process sources.

  • K - Waste from specific industrial process sources.

  • P (Acutely Hazardous Waste)  Waste from unused, off-specification or discarded commercial chemicals that are acutely toxic. 

  • U - Waste from unused, Off-specification or discarded commercial chemicals.

Waste is hazardous if it exhibits at least one of four characteristics: ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic/poison.

Government Regulation of Hazardous Waste

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as an independent agency under the Executive branch of the U.S. Government on December 2, 1970. Since then, more than a dozen major statutes or laws form the legal basis for the programs managed under this agency with more than thirty governing the management of chemicals and hazardous waste. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 gave EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the "cradle-to-grave," including handling, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal.

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) makes periodic unannounced inspections to audit registered controlled substance storage locations and laboratories. Information on controlled substance management at AU.

Georgia Environmental Protection Division

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division was established to implement federal hazardous waste rules and regulations in the state of Georgia. Augusta University (Augusta University) must meet federal, state, and local requirements for management of chemicals and hazardous waste. This is accomplished through Augusta University Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).