Universal Waste

What are universal wastes?
Section 273 of Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission Regulation 23 (PDF File 3.5mb), adopted in December, 1995, addresses a class of wastes grouped under the term “universal wastes”.  Universal wastes are a specified set of widely distributed hazardous wastes for which EPA and ADEQ have approved less stringent handling and management standards provided that these wastes are ultimately forwarded to the appropriate recycling or reclamation centers, and are ultimately recycled or reclaimed.  Wastes classified as universal wastes include:

• Spent batteries such as nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd, or Nicad) and small sealed lead-acid batteries (found in many common items such as electronic equipment, portable telephones, portable computers, and emergency lighting).  Larger lead-acid batteries are managed under the provisions of Regulation 23 (PDF File 3.5mb) §266, Subsection G;
• Agricultural pesticides and herbicides that have been recalled or banned from use, are obsolete, have become damaged, or which are no longer needed due to changes in cropping patterns or other factors; and
• Mercury-containing devices that exhibit a characteristic of a hazardous waste.
• Intact spent or waste lamps which exhibit a characteristic of a hazardous waste.
• Consumer electronic items (such as any intact or broken cathode ray tube, (e.g., television, computer monitor, or other cathode ray tube monitor or display device), personal computer or computer component, audio and/or stereo player, videocassette recorder/player, digital videodisk (DVD) recorder/player, video camera, telephone, facsimile or copying machine, cellular telephone, wireless paging device, or video game console) which exhibit a characteristic of a hazardous waste.

How can I dispose of universal wastes?
There are recycling options available for most universal wastes generated on campus.  Remember, however, that universal wastes are hazardous. If you can not find a suitable recycle solution, universal wastes must be treated as hazardous waste and disposed of at a suitable hazardous waste disposal facility.