Miscellaneous Waste

• Empty Helium Tank Management
  • Turn the top valve counter-clockwise. Turn the valve to the left until it can’t go any further.
  • Push the tilt nozzle down to release the pressure from the tank. This nozzle is the lever that you push to fill the balloons with helium. You will hear a hissing sound as the nozzle goes down, this is the pressure being released from the tanks. Hold the nozzle down until the noise stops, indicating that all the pressure has been released.
  • Puncture the side of the relief disc. Before attempting to puncture the disc, put on safety glasses and gloves. Find the relief disc on the back shoulder of the helium tank. This is often labled to help you locate it. Place the head of a screwdriver onto the disc and use a hammer to bang on the top of the screwdriver handle. Continue hitting the screwdriver until you puncture a hole.
  • Draw a circle around the hole and mark it as empty. Use a permanent marker to circle the hole in the tank where the relief disc was. Below the circle write that the tank is “empty.”
  • Take the tank to the USB scrap metal bin for recycling.
• Empty Camping Gas (isobutane/propane) Canister Management

  To support our Sustainability and waste minimization goals, SH&S encourages generators of this waste to take appropriate steps to recycle whenever practical. The following steps may be used as a guide to render canisters into a reyclable state for those who are comfortable in doing so.
  
  

  • Ensure the canister is completely empty. Burn off any remaining gas outside or in a well-ventilated area, away from open flames or ignition sources. Understand that the burn rate will be slow due to low pressure in the canister, so this may take a while. Even after the flame sputters out, keep the valve open to let residual vapors escape.
  • Once confident that the canister is empty of all traces of gas, puncture it (preferably with a designated tool).
    • A hammer and nail may be used with a cloth rag covering the canister to reduce the likelihood of generating a spark.
  • Draw a cirlce around each puncture hole with permanent marker and clearly label the canister as "EMPTY".
  • Take the canister to the USB scrap metal bin for recycling.
    
    

  OR

  • Submit a Waste Pick-Up Request (department chargebacks may apply).
• Spent Ink Cartridges Disposal
  • Distribution Services works with distributers to send them back.
  • If the ink cartridges can fit in the mail box, put them in a sealable container/bag and place them in the mail box.
  • If they are too big, or there is a large quantity, please contact Distribution Services @ 760-750-4535 for a pick up request.
• Broken Glass Box Pick Up
  • No chemical residue should be on glass
  • Nothing other than broken glass should be in box (gloves, wipes, trash)
  • Erlenmeyer flasks, beakers, pipettes
  • No glass protruding from box
  • Call Facility Services for pickup at ext. 4600
  • Leave in hallway for pickup