Many industries generate or interact with hazardous wastes as a part of their day to day work, knowing how to handle these materials in a safe and prepared manner helps prevent unnecessary incidents. A core part of proper hazardous waste handling is hazardous waste containment. It is important to know that the container you choose was designed and approved for your intended use no matter the situation, but even more so when the safety of the community and environment are at stake.
There’s a wide range of hazardous waste containers. Some are designed and certified for explosives, gasses, flammables, peroxides, radioactive materials, corrosive materials, infectious substances. Knowing your materials and their characteristics is an important component of hazmat safety.
Consider asking a dangerous goods consultant to determine the level of risk associated with your materials. All of their characteristics could impact the design, build and even fittings appropriate to contain them. For example, one of the most common uses of Skolnik steel drums is their use in managing the safe transportation and disposal of hazardous waste materials. Our hazardous waste containers are engineered to meet and certified by the US DOT regulations (see the regulations specific to steel drums in Chapter 178.601 of the Code of Federal Regulations if you are curious to learn more.)
In light of the recent Coronavirus outbreak, we should mention that the CDC lists SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the Coronavirus (COVID-19), as a Category A Infectious Substance, aka an infectious substance in a form that, when exposure to it occurs, is capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals. The CDC has also deemed SARS-CoV-2 an HHS Select Agent which is a biological agent and toxin that has been determined to have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety, to animal and plant health, or to animal or plant products. PHMSA has a document about transporting infectious substances, but if you are disposing of any waste that may have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2, please contact the CDC immediately to ensure proper precautions and procedures are put into action.