Toxic Waste Treatment
Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Operation Record Form
Laboratory Disaster Emergency Notification Flowchart
Temporary classified storage field
Proper collection, labelling and storage of laboratory toxic waste
The toxic waste are properly packaged by trained technians and transported
to Environmental Resource Management Center at NCKU
Environmental Resource Management Center at NCKU
Online reporting system for toxic and concerned chemical substances
Policy and Pretreatment (autoclave) of Biohazardous Toxic Waste
Chemical resource sharing platform
Committee Meeting of TCCSMC
Education training on the handling of toxic and hazardous substances
Since Pesticides and Herbicides are not permitted within the campus and toxic E-waste, the primary sources of toxic waste at National Chiayi University come from chemical properties (including heavy metals), solvents, and hazardous biological waste from laboratory experiments. Regarding radiation sources, National Chiayi University has a total of 7 X-ray machines used for teaching and research purposes. All of them are inspected and maintained annually and decommissioned by the regulations of the Atomic Energy Council (AEC).
The Treatment of toxic waste at NCYU is described as follows:
1. Policy Establishment:
NCYU's Toxic Waste Collection/Removal policy aligns with national and international standards.
A waste removal plan was submitted to local authorities.
Regular Audits: Each semester, we undergo inspections from the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau as well as internal control audits within the University.
Emergency Response Plans: Establish an emergency notification procedure to address toxic material/waste incidents when they occur promptly.
The Chemical Substances Management Committee" (TCCSMS) holds quarterly meetings to review the purchase and disposal of hazardous substances.
2. Waste Collection & Storage:
Waste generated by units/labs is collected, labeled, and stored in specific containers; the liquid is stored in 20-liter HDPE containers.
Strict adherence to the "CHEMICAL COMPATIBILITY CHART" ensures no harmful chemical reactions.
Waste liquids are classified into six inorganic and three organic types.
3. Transportation & Notification:
When liquid waste barrels are 80% full, the Environmental Protection and Safety Management Center is informed.
Trained technicians then move these barrels to a temporary storage site.
The University allocates $7,000 USD annually to send toxic waste to the government-approved professional processing unit, our partner institution's “Environmental Resource Treatment Center” at National Cheng Kung University, where various toxic wastes are processed according to unified standards. The technicians annually attend technical enhancement education, training, and seminars at the Environmental Resource Treatment Center.
4. Chemical Resource Management:
We have established a chemical-sharing platform that allows faculty members within the university to access small amounts of research chemicals, reducing instances of repetitive purchases. All chemical transfers comply with legal protocols.
Laboratories with toxic chemicals are required to report their usage online every quarter to achieve total quantity control.
Chemical waste is collected and stored temporarily. Every academic year, all waste will be properly packaged by trained technicians and then transported to the Environmental Resource Management Center at NCKU for further treatment.
5. Monitoring & Documentation:
Transport vehicles for toxic waste are GPS-enabled, ensuring real-time monitoring.
Online submissions to the Environmental Protection Bureau document all movements and details.
Disposal documentation is maintained for verification purposes.
6. Hazardous biological waste from laboratory experiments:
The Biosafety Committee governs the treatment of biotoxic waste. The primary focus is on pretreatment before disposal. The primary toxic waste in the University comes from experimental microorganisms and cells. As per the guidelines, they must undergo high-temperature sterilization in an autoclave to eliminate microorganisms completely before being disposed of according to waste treatment guidelines.
7. Oversight & Training:
NCYU's "Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Management Committee" (TCCSMS) oversees the management of all hazardous substances.
Quarterly meetings ensure strict adherence to protocols.
The Environmental Protection and Safety Management Center provides regular training sessions on toxic substance handling.
All toxic substance transportation and quantities are publicly announced on the website.