How Do You Manage Art Waste?

Visual art studios generate hazardous waste. This blog entry provides an overview of some of the most common health and environmental risks associated with painting, drawing, ceramics, lithography, etc. Q&As include:

1. Do visual art studios produce hazardous waste?

2. What are the waste disposal requirements for solvent-soaked rags & towels?

3. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent degreasers and solvents?

4. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent thinners?

5. What are the waste disposal requirements for unwanted paints?

6. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent aerosol cans?

7. What are the waste disposal requirements for waste glazes?

8. What are the waste disposal requirements for dry ceramic material?

9. What are the waste disposal requirements for cutting oils?

10. What are the waste disposal requirements for waste acids?

11. Where can you get help to dispose of art studio hazardous waste safely and legally?

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1. Do visual art studios produce hazardous waste?

Yes. If you’re a gunpowder artist, you know that—thanks to its characteristic propensity to explode—your medium of choice is a reactive hazardous waste. But not so intuitively, the media endemic to less-combustive arts (e.g., painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics) each generates enough hazardous materials and chemical waste to be of keen interest to the EPA. This is because operations inside a visual art studio are not so different from what goes on in a research or teaching laboratory. So, the same EPA safety and environmental compliance imperatives that apply to academic laboratories also encumber visual art studios and departments.  

2. What are the waste disposal requirements for solvent-soaked rags & towels?

Solvent-soaked rags & towels should be placed in a covered flammable steel safety can (or a metal pail) that’s lined with a trash bag—with the lid kept closed. When full, remove the bag, seal it, and affix a chemical waste label to its outside. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of the bag properly (see Q.11).

3. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent degreasers and solvents?

Spent degreasers and solvents should be carefully funneled into low-density polyethylene hazardous waste storage containers (e.g., Nalgene bottles). Alternatively, you can use a purpose-built gasoline container, such as the kind that’s available at your local hardware store. You can also reuse the container that the degreaser or solvent originally came in. But do not use throwaway commodities like old milk containers or soda bottles. 

Wear splash goggles and appropriate chemical protective gloves while dispensing spent degreasers and solvents. Seal the container and affix a chemical waste label to its side when you’re through. Store the container in a secondary containment bin. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols for chemical waste disposal  of the contents (when it’s about 90 percent full) and have the container cleaned and returned to you (see Q.11).

4. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent thinners?

Like spent degreasers and solvents, spent thinners should be carefully funneled into low-density polyethylene hazardous storage containers (e.g., Nalgene bottles). Alternatively, you can use a purpose-built gasoline container, such as the kind that’s available at your local hardware store. You can also reuse the container that the thinner originally came in. But do not use throwaway commodities like old milk containers or soda bottles. 

Wear splash goggles and appropriate chemical protective gloves while dispensing spent thinners. Seal the container and affix a chemical waste label to its side when you’re through. Store the container in a secondary containment bin. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of the contents (when it’s about 90 percent full) and have the container cleaned and returned to you (see Q.11).

5. What are the waste disposal requirements for unwanted paints?

If your question is how to dispose of paint… partially filled cans of unwanted paints should be placed in a sturdy cardboard box that has a chemical waste label affixed to its side. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of the box and its contents (see Q.11).

6. What are the waste disposal requirements for spent aerosol cans?

If completely empty, aerosol cans can go into the normal recycling for cans/tins. However, aerosol cans that are either partially or completely full need to be separated from other recyclables and general waste (see source). Like quantities of unwanted paints, spent aerosol cans should be placed in a sturdy cardboard box with a chemical waste label affixed to its side. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols for proper waste disposal guidelines(see Q.11).

7. What are the waste disposal requirements for waste glazes?

Waste glazes should be placed into their original container or some other sturdy plastic one then in a cardboard box that has a chemical waste label affixed to its outside. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of it properly (see Q.11).

8. What are the waste disposal requirements for dry ceramic material?

The requirements for disposing of dry ceramic material are equivalent to those for waste glazes. I.e., dry ceramic materials should be placed into their original container or some other sturdy plastic one, which should then be placed in a cardboard box that has a chemical waste label affixed to its outside. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of it properly (see Q.11).

9. What are the waste disposal requirements for cutting oils?

Like thinners, degreasers, and solvents, cutting oils (and other waste oils) should be carefully funneled into low-density polyethylene waste containers (e.g., Nalgene bottles). Alternatively, you can use a purpose-built gasoline container, such as the kind that’s available at your local hardware store. You can also reuse the container that the oil originally came in. But do not use throwaway commodities like old milk containers or soda bottles. 

Wear splash goggles and appropriate protective chemical gloves while dispensing spent oils. Seal the container and affix a chemical waste label to its side when you’re through. Store the container in a secondary containment bin. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste management protocols to dispose of the contents (when it’s about 90 percent full) and have the container cleaned and returned to you (see Q.11).

10. What are the waste disposal requirements for waste acids?

Similar to cutting oils, waste acids should be carefully funneled into low-density polyethylene  waste containers (e.g., Nalgene bottles). Alternatively, you can use a purpose-built gasoline container, such as the kind that’s available at your local hardware store. You can also reuse the container that the oil originally came in. But do not use throwaway commodities like old milk containers or soda bottles. 

Follow chemical safety guidelines and wear splash goggles and appropriate chemical protective gloves for chemical waste disposal while dispensing waste acids. Seal the container and affix a chemical waste label to its side when you’re through. Store the container in a secondary containment bin. Then, follow your institution’s hazardous waste collection and management protocols to dispose of the contents (when it’s about 90 percent full) and have the container cleaned and returned to you (see Q.11).

11. Where can you get help to dispose of art studio hazardous waste safely and legally?

Visual artists work with many potentially hazardous media. So, per both OSHA and the EPA waste management regulations and waste disposal regulations, any residual amounts of these materials demand hazardous waste disposal. This requires institutional awareness, training, and protocols specifically designed to address the hazardous material disposal encountered by teachers, students, and others who work and learn in art studios and departments.

Don’t go it alone.

As in all matters concerning hazardous waste disposal, you need an environmental risk and services partner with a solid history of providing safe, efficient, and compliant waste disposal guidance, advice, and waste collection services. Contact us Hazardous Waste Experts, your local hazardous waste management company who specializes in hazardous waste disposal near you or call (425) 414-3485.