List,
My personal experience was a bit different.  I provided an
introductory
chemical hazard analysis training class that included a basic
introduction
to RCRA with proper waste handling to a group of teachers as part
of a new
program.  Most surprisingly, the science teachers had never evaluated
or
considered the chemicals based upon their respective toxicity,
physical
hazards and had never heard of RCRA.  
After the class, I was
approached by a new science teacher for a local high
school who informed me
that while her background was in biology, she had
replaced a teacher who had a
degree/background in chemistry who had been in
the position for ~30-years and
she inherited a significant chemical
inventory, that she had no idea how to
deal with.  
I provided basic instructions to perform a chemical inventory and
I would
help her classify the waste streams for proper disposal.  Upon
receiving and
reviewing the chemical inventory, I required her to obtain an EPA
ID Number
(the school did not know that they needed to obtain one), to NOT
touch any
container and simply lock the cabinets until qualified personnel
could come
in and remove the peroxide formers, reactive chemicals, etc., that
had been
accumulating in the storage spaces for the past 30-years.  
I then
had a qualified hazardous waste disposal company come in to properly
(and
legally) classify, handle and dispose of the chemicals which had
accumulated
over that time.  The company I used performed the disposal
action in off-school
hours and no incidents resulted.  
What I was perplexed by then and now, is how
can any science teacher assume
the role without knowing the fundamental and
rudimentary requirements to
keep themselves and their students safe?  
I
honestly thought schools were beginning to teach safer science
practices.
BruceV  

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion
List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
Marlyn Newhouse
Sent:
Monday, July 27, 2015 12:44 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re:
[DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (16 articles)

Dear Ones,

I
would like to add to the discussion as a safety consultant to schools in
our
area.  When a major industry in our area closed, they "donated"
chemicals to
the local HS years ago ( 70's or 80''s).  EPA had a program (in
the 90's?)
where they would collect at a reduced cost to the school "
hazardous
chemicals". This was a day or two prior to the collection of
"household
hazardous waste" in the community.

I was called upon to help distinguish
between "hazardous", non hazardous and
recycle chemicals.  Our university
received the "recycled" chemicals as a
donation of chemicals that we could use.
It was a "win-win" situation.  I
can give more details, names, etc. when back
to school.

Blessings

 Marlyn Newhouse, D.A.
 Associate Professor of
Chemistry
 1050 Union University Drive
 Jackson TN 38305

 731-661-5295

mnewhouse**At_Symbol_Here**uu.edu
>
________________________________________
From: DCHAS-L
Discussion List [dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] on behalf of Nail,
John
[jnail**At_Symbol_Here**OKCU.EDU]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2015 10:17 AM
To:
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from
Google (16 articles)

First, a correction: Dupo (IL) HS, not Dupont.

Now,
more to the point - I'm not surprised that a HS chemistry lab would
have
potassium cyanide - likely it was purchased decades ago - chem labs and
safety
issues were MUCH different then than today. Many of us remember the
picric acid
in HS chemistry lab stockroom stories.

Don't assume that the education
environment is anything like the industrial
environment in regards to health
and safety.

The problem is that for many schools, including some colleges
and
universities, there isn't a good way of disposing of chemicals such as
KCN
as the personnel involved may not know who to call or much more
likely,
don't have the funds to pay for hazardous waste disposal. I note that
KCN is
on EPA's 'P' list - EPA regulations (at least those from 10 years ago)
made
it very difficult for CESQGs to dispose of more than 1 kg of P listed
waste.

If you can't reasonably easily dispose of a chemical, the default is
to keep
it; the result is that it occupies stockroom space until an unintended
event
occurs.

John Nail
Professor of Chemistry
Oklahoma City
University

From: DCHAS-L Discussion
List
<dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu<mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu>> on behalf
of
McGrath Edward
J
<Edward.McGrath**At_Symbol_Here**REDCLAY.K12.DE.US<mailto:Edward.McGrath**At_Symbol_Here**REDCLAY.K12.DE.US>>
Reply-To:
DCHAS-L <dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu<mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu>>
Date: Monday,
July 27, 2015 9:10 AM
To:
"DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU<mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>"
<dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu<mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu>>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (16 articles)

Re:  the
chemical spill at Dupont High School:

What in the WORLD was potassium cyanide
doing in a high school in the
first
place?





---------------------------------------------

CHEMICAL
SPILL AT DUPO HIGH SCHOOL
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, release, response,
cyanide

DUPO, IL (KTVI) - A St. Clair County hazmat crew was called to Dupo
High
School Friday night after a potentially dangerous chemical spill.

A
teacher conducting inventory in the school science lab accidentally
knocked
over a bottle of potassium cyanide. The chemical can be dangerous to
inhale if
it interacts with other chemicals.

Residents in nearby homes were told to
stay inside their homes and a few
businesses had to be
evacuated.

---------------------------------------------