Hand Sanitizer Disposal

Hand sanitizer is something most businesses have on hand. It’s a quick, convenient way to encourage proper personal hygiene and prevent the spread of bacteria and disease on commercial grounds. If your business uses hand sanitizer, there will likely come a point when you need to get rid of excess. Hand sanitizer generally lasts for two to three years. After it expires, it loses most of its effectiveness and should be safely and correctly disposed of. Unfortunately, disposing of hand sanitizer isn’t as simple as tossing it in the bin. Learn how to dispose of hand sanitizer below with Clean Management Environmental Group.

Hand Sanitizer Disposal: Why It Matters

The USDA classifies hand sanitizer as a Class 3 Flammable Liquid due to the high percentage of ethyl or isopropyl alcohol it contains. Most hand sanitizers and gels consist of anywhere from 60 to 90 percent alcohol, and at this concentration, they’re extremely dangerous when disposed of improperly. Class 3 Flammable Liquids have a flashpoint of less than 140 degrees F, which means the vapors hand sanitizer gives off can easily ignite at relatively low temperatures. Expired hand sanitizers are especially hazardous. When sanitizers expire, the hand-rubbing agent they contain evaporates, generating highly flammable methanol and other airborne contaminants in the process.

Due to their classification, there are special handling and disposal requirements for hand sanitizers that you need to follow.

How Do You Properly Dispose of Hand Sanitizer?

You can dispose of small, residential levels of hand sanitizer in the trash, but large amounts of hand sanitizer (at SQG, LQG, or CESQG levels) call for hazardous waste disposal or alternative EPA- sanctioned disposal methods, such as fuel blending or incidental reduction. Pouring gallons of hand sanitizer down a drain or throwing it into the trash is a recipe for disaster that can quickly lead to combustion. Improper disposal can also net your business bad press and hefty EPA fines. For these reasons, you’ll need to reach out to a waste management company for your commercial sanitizer disposal needs.

A commercial waste management company can help you discard of large quantities of expired or unused hand sanitizer safely. Because of the rigid transportation and handling rules enforced for Class 3 Flammable Liquids, hand sanitizer disposal is something your company should never attempt on its own.

For example, Class 3 Flammable Liquids can only be transported by approved tanks and containers with emergency pressure-activated vents. When transporting larger quantities (between 440 and 1,001 pounds) of hand sanitizer, the driver needs to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and undergo extensive safety training. Not only that, but RCRA registration, labeling, and stringent record keeping are also necessary—and this is only part of what hand sanitizer disposal entails. To make matters more complex, hazardous waste disposal, including expired hand sanitizer disposal, is normally overseen by state agencies rather than federal agencies. As such, handling and disposal guidelines can vary from state to state.

A professional waste management team will understand the state regulations for disposing of expired hand sanitizer. They’ll proffer and prepare all required labels and manifests, promptly pick up your hazardous materials, assist with packaging, and ensure your waste is brought to an appropriate disposal facility.

Why Choose Clean Management Environmental Group?

Clean Management Environmental Group is a disposal company with over 30 years of experience in the waste management industry. We provide our hand sanitizer disposal services all throughout the United States. Our environmental experts are experienced and knowledgeable, and this expertise enables us to offer our services at competitive prices with no long-term contacts. We offer a simple, personalized experience to make disposing of hand sanitizer as easy as possible. Contact us today to get a quote or learn more about our sanitizer disposal services.