Universal Waste

The term Universal Waste applies to a specific set of waste materials that have been exempted from the hazardous waste management rules by the USEPA. EPA’s universal waste regulations streamline the hazardous waste management standards to:

• promote the collection and recycling of universal waste,

• ease the regulatory burden on retail stores and other generators that wish to collect these wastes and transporters of these wastes, and

• encourage the development of municipal and commercial programs to reduce the quantity of these wastes going to municipal solid waste landfills or combustors.

The federal universal waste regulations are found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 273 and apply to five types of universal waste:

• Batteries

• Some Pesticides 

• Mercury-Containing Equipment (thermostats, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, etc)

• Fluroescent Lamps/Bulbs*

• Aerosol Cans (Missouri has not yet adopted the changes to aerosol cans)

* We recommend submitting a Work Order through Facilities Management to handle spent lamps. Facilities staff have the required training to handle spent lamps. If you manage/handle spent bulbs, please contact EM to get the required training.