Chemical waste containers

The range of hazardous waste containers also includes this type of container, selected individually to suit the type of substance.

Chemical waste containers are made from materials resistant to corrosive and chemically aggressive substances – essential equipment for laboratories, industrial plants and service points working with hazardous substances.

The sealed construction protects against the uncontrolled release of substances into the environment.

We select the housing material for its resistance to the specific groups of substances the container will come into contact with, so that it is not damaged during prolonged storage. Tight lid seals additionally limit the release of vapours into the surroundings.

Choosing the material for a chemical waste container requires taking into account the class of substance it will be in contact with – polyethylene copes well with most acids and alkalis at moderate concentrations, whereas strongly oxidising or solvent-based substances may require stainless steel or special fluoropolymer plastics resistant to more aggressive compounds.

Larger containers should be placed on spill trays or in sumps with a capacity at least equal to the volume of the stored substance – such protection limits the consequences of a possible leak, preventing liquid from reaching the ground, the drainage system or the warehouse floor.

Labelling the container with hazard pictograms in line with the substance classification helps employees and emergency services to identify the hazard quickly in the event of an incident – this is a feature that health and safety departments in particular ask about when accepting equipment for a chemical store.

Chemically incompatible substances – for example strong oxidisers and flammable materials – should not be stored in direct proximity, even if each has its own separate, sealed container. Proper planning of storage zones within a chemical waste collection point can be just as important as the quality of the containers themselves.

Ventilation of the room in which chemical waste containers are placed should limit the build-up of vapours even when the lids are tightly closed – in practice this means avoiding completely enclosed, unventilated utility rooms in favour of spaces with adequate air exchange.

Once a chemical waste container is full, it must be handed over to a company holding the appropriate permits to transport and dispose of such substances – it is advisable to keep the collection receipt, which may be required during inspections at facilities working with hazardous materials.