4 Situations That Require Chemicals To Be Lab Packed
When any type of business or institution uses hazardous materials, there are rules for how they can store and dispose of those materials. One way to store them is with lab packing. Lab packing involves storing hazardous materials, such as chemicals, inside small containers. The person in charge of the lab pack then places these small containers inside a large container, such as a metal drum. This keeps the chemicals sealed and safe until a hazardous waste professional can dispose of them properly.
There are various situations that require chemicals to be lab packed. We explain four of the most common situations below.
School Chemistry Labs
Many people don’t consider schools a hazardous place. However, chemicals are an important part of many science labs and require specific disposal. Chemistry labs are the most obvious places to find hazardous chemicals in schools, so many chemistry teachers use lab packs for storage and disposal. Students can safely learn about and experiment with chemicals in class, and then the teacher can seal them away until professionals dispose of them.
Health-Care Facilities
In comparison to schools, it should surprise no one that health-care facilities are full of potential hazards. Chemicals, needles, and other materials require special disposal. However, some of these materials are rare even within the facility. This means it can take a long time before there is enough hazardous waste to make calling a professional worthwhile. Since lab packs allow people to store small amounts of materials over time, they are often the solution for health-care facilities.
Dry Cleaning Businesses
The reason dry cleaners can clean our clothes so efficiently, even when they require specific treatment, is chemicals. While these chemicals are great for the cleaning process, they’re also considered hazardous. This means that dry cleaning businesses can’t throw these used chemicals out like they can non-hazardous waste. Instead, many opt to store the chemicals in a lab pack until they’re ready to call a professional for disposal.
Auto Repair Shops
Lastly, there are many situations where auto repair shops require lab pack services. Chemicals such as coolant are prevalent in auto repair shops, but mechanics can’t dispose of them within the repair shop. Coolant picks up heavy metals during use, and other hazardous chemicals in the shop can’t mix with non-hazardous waste. Storing chemicals in lab packs keeps them safe until the repair shop is ready to dispose of all the chemicals together.
These four situations require chemicals to be lab packed to protect people within the facility and make disposal efficient. Whether your business is in one of these situations or another not on the list, Clean Management Environmental Group can provide lab pack disposal for you.