A business that generates hazardous waste must ensure proper disposal as well as storage, handling, treatment, and transport of the waste. This includes the classification of waste, labelling, and documentation. A business might hire contractors to complete some of this work for them but the business must ensure, in advance, that the proper methods will be used and that the transporters and the disposal/recycling facilities have approvals and are in compliance with all requirements.
Don't pour hazardous chemicals down the drain
Are you connected to municipal sanitary sewer?
Municipalities have wastewater discharge or sewer use bylaws that restrict the discharge of chemicals in storm drains and sewer lines. These chemicals can be harmful to piping and to the biological treatment at wastewater treatment facilities. And hazardous chemicals can be harmful to aquatic ecosystems in lakes, streams and coastal areas. Check with your local municipality about the restrictions and bylaws in your location.
For example, the Halifax Regional Municipality By-law 101 restricts the discharge of the following substances into the municipal sewer:
| a ph less than 5.5 or greater than 9.5 | two or more separate liquid layers | a temperature greater than 65 degrees Celsius |
| combustible liquid | fuel | flammable liquids, solids, and/or gases |
| leachate | detergents, surface-active agents | sewage containing dyes or colouring materials |
| pathological waste | material containing PCBs | pesticides |
| reactive materials | radioactive substances | hazardous waste chemicals |
| hauled sewage or hauled waste | toxic waste |
Do you have an on-site septic system?
If your business is connected to an on-site septic system it is very important to avoid the discharge of hazardous chemicals down the drain and into the septic system. Hazardous chemicals can disrupt the bacteria in your wastewater treatment system. These bacteria are essential for the proper treatment of sewage and if disrupted, your system can fail and cause environmental and public health concerns.
Don't put hazardous waste in the garbage
Landfill sites in Nova Scotia are not designed to manage large quantities of hazardous materials. Hazardous chemicals could leach into groundwater supplies or into natural water bodies or can create a hazard for employees working at the disposal facilities.
The following materials containing hazardous materials are banned from landfills by the NS Solid Waste-Resource Management Regulations:
| automotive lead-acid batteries | ethylene glycol (automotive antifreeze) | paint products |
| electronics |
| explosives | compressed gas (corrosive, toxic, flammable, non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-flammable) |
flammable liquid |
| flammable solid | substances liable for spontaneous combustion | substances which react violently with water |
| oxidizing substances | organic peroxides | poisonous (toxic) substances |
| infectious substances | radioactive material | corrosive substances |
| miscellaneous dangerous goods | environmentally hazardous substances |