Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Policy

Policy Statement

An-Najah National University (ANNU) is committed to protecting human health, animal welfare, occupational safety, and the environment through responsible management of hazardous materials and waste.

The University requires the safe identification, handling, segregation, storage, transportation, treatment, and final disposal of hazardous materials and waste generated through teaching, research, clinical services, workshops, maintenance, and other university activities.

Hazardous waste shall be managed through approved procedures and authorized service providers, with documented accountability from its point of generation to its final treatment or disposal. Waste prevention, reduction, and substitution with less hazardous alternatives shall be prioritized wherever practicable.

Purpose

This policy establishes a university-wide framework to:

1. Manage chemical, biological, radiological, and physical hazards safely.

2. Prevent exposure, injury, pollution, and unauthorized disposal.

3. Minimize the quantity and hazardous characteristics of waste generated.

4. Define responsibilities for waste management and oversight.

5. Maintain traceable records of waste collection, transfer, treatment, and disposal.

6. Ensure compliance with applicable Palestinian environmental, public health, occupational safety, and other relevant requirements.

7. Support SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Scope

This policy applies to all university campuses, departments, laboratories, research facilities, workshops, clinical facilities, the University Hospital and affiliated health centers, engineering and maintenance units, and university-controlled storage areas.

It applies to faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors, and external partners whose activities involve hazardous materials or generate hazardous waste within university operations.

Relevant requirements shall be incorporated into contracts for hazardous waste collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal.

Definitions

Hazardous material: Any biological, chemical, radiological, or physical item or agent that can cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment, either independently or through interaction with other factors.

Hazardous waste: Discarded material exhibiting hazardous properties, including toxicity, corrosivity, flammability, reactivity, infectiousness, or radioactivity, or otherwise requiring controlled handling and disposal.

Physical hazards: Items or materials capable of causing physical injury, including contaminated sharps, broken contaminated glass, and pressurized containers.

Authorized waste handler: A service provider whose licences, permits, or other required authorizations are valid for the waste types and activities undertaken.

Waste minimization: Prevention or reduction of waste generation and toxicity through material substitution, purchasing controls, improved processes, and safe recovery where appropriate.

Policy Requirements and Procedures

1. Waste Prevention and Minimization

University units shall:

• Assess opportunities to substitute hazardous materials with less hazardous alternatives.

• Purchase quantities appropriate to operational needs and maintain inventories to reduce expired or surplus materials.

• Use teaching, research, clinical, and maintenance practices that minimize hazardous waste.

• Permit reuse or recovery only where an approved assessment confirms that it can be undertaken safely and lawfully.

2. Identification and Classification

Hazardous materials and waste shall be identified and classified before handling, storage, treatment, or disposal.

Classification shall cover, as applicable:

• Chemical waste, including solvents, acids, alkalis, and materials containing toxic metals.

• Biological, infectious, and clinical waste.

• Pharmaceutical waste.

• Radiological waste.

• Sharps and contaminated glass.

• Batteries, electronic waste containing hazardous components, and other hazardous maintenance materials.

Current Safety Data Sheets shall be accessible wherever relevant chemicals are used or stored. Unknown waste shall be isolated and assessed before further handling.

3. Segregation, Packaging, and Labelling

Hazardous waste shall be segregated at its point of generation using compatible, clearly labelled containers and applicable colour-coding procedures.

Containers shall:

• Be suitable for the waste and resistant to leakage or damage.

• Remain securely closed except when waste is being added or removed safely.

• Display the contents, relevant hazards, accumulation date, originating unit, and responsible person.

• Use secondary containment where required by the risk assessment.

Incompatible wastes shall not be mixed. Sharps shall be placed in designated puncture-resistant containers. Hazardous waste shall not be mixed with ordinary municipal waste.

4. Temporary Storage and Internal Transportation

Storage areas shall have controlled access and safeguards appropriate to the hazards present, including ventilation, spill containment, fire protection, and separation of incompatible materials where required.

Waste shall not accumulate beyond applicable legal limits or the limits established in approved university procedures.

Internal transportation shall be undertaken by trained personnel using secure containers, suitable equipment, and secondary containment where necessary. Routes and collection arrangements shall minimize exposure to campus users.

5. Treatment and Final Disposal

Treatment and disposal methods shall be selected according to the waste’s classification, risk assessment, and applicable requirements.

On-site treatment is permitted only where an approved written procedure specifies the waste types, equipment, operating conditions, responsible personnel, and verification requirements.

• Chemical waste: Neutralization or other treatment shall be used only for suitable waste streams under an approved procedure. Other chemical waste shall be transferred to authorized handlers.

• Biological and clinical waste: Appropriate validated treatment, such as autoclaving, shall be used where suitable. Incineration shall occur only through appropriately authorized facilities and procedures.

• Pharmaceutical waste: Waste shall be segregated and managed through approved arrangements appropriate to its composition and hazards.

• Radiological waste: Storage, decay management, transfer, and disposal shall be supervised by designated competent personnel in accordance with applicable authorizations. Release from controlled storage requires documented verification.

• Sharps: Waste shall remain in designated containers and follow an approved treatment and disposal route.

• Electronic and battery waste: Waste shall be transferred to approved recovery, recycling, or disposal providers equipped to manage its hazardous components.

Treatment shall not be used to conceal hazardous characteristics or bypass disposal requirements.

6. Prohibited Disposal Practices

The University prohibits:

• Disposal of hazardous waste into ordinary bins or municipal waste streams.

• Discharge into drains, sewers, soil, or water unless expressly permitted by applicable requirements and an approved written procedure.

• Open burning, illegal dumping, abandonment, or uncontrolled burial.

• Dilution or mixing intended to evade hazardous waste controls.

• Transfer to unauthorized waste handlers.

7. External Waste Handlers and Traceability

Before appointing a waste handler, the responsible university unit shall verify and document that the provider holds the authorizations required for the relevant waste and services.

Each transfer shall be documented through records identifying:

• The originating university unit.

• Waste type, quantity, and relevant hazards.

• Collection date and receiving provider.

• Intended treatment or disposal destination.

• Transfer documentation and subsequent treatment or disposal confirmation.

Contracts shall require appropriate handling, incident reporting, and provision of final treatment or disposal records. Missing documentation or suspected improper disposal shall be investigated.

8. Emergency Preparedness and Spill Response

Facilities handling hazardous materials shall maintain emergency procedures appropriate to their activities, including reporting, evacuation, containment, exposure response, and decontamination.

Suitable spill kits, personal protective equipment, and emergency contact information shall be available and maintained.

Spills, leaks, exposures, and accidental releases shall be reported immediately to the Public Safety Office and relevant emergency services where necessary. Response shall be undertaken only by personnel trained and equipped for the hazard involved.

Incidents shall be documented, investigated, and followed by corrective action.

9. Training and Competence

Personnel shall receive appropriate training before undertaking activities involving hazardous materials or waste.

Laboratory users, waste coordinators, maintenance personnel, and other relevant staff shall complete annual refresher training appropriate to their responsibilities.

Training shall address classification, segregation, labelling, storage, protective equipment, emergency response, and disposal procedures. Training and competence records shall be maintained.

10. Records and Reporting

The University shall maintain records of:

• Hazardous material inventories and waste quantities.

• Waste transfers and treatment or disposal certificates.

• Contractor authorizations.

• Training, inspections, and audits.

• Incidents and corrective actions.

Records shall be retained according to applicable requirements and university records-management procedures and made available for authorized inspection.

The Public Safety Office shall coordinate an annual report on hazardous waste quantities, disposal routes, incidents, compliance findings, and improvement actions.

Roles and Responsibilities

Entity	Responsibilities
Public Safety Office	Owns and coordinates this policy; oversees environmental health and safety procedures, training, inspections, incident reporting, and institutional records.
Deans, directors, and department chairs	Ensure compliance within their units, provide necessary resources, and designate trained waste coordinators.
Laboratory and facility supervisors	Ensure correct classification, segregation, labelling, storage, and use of approved procedures.
Facilities and Maintenance Department	Coordinates safe internal collection, transportation, and storage arrangements with the Public Safety Office.
Procurement and contracting personnel	Verify waste-handler authorizations and incorporate documentation and compliance requirements into contracts.
Designated radiological safety personnel	Oversee radiological materials and waste, where applicable.
Faculty, staff, and students	Follow procedures, complete required training, use appropriate protective equipment, and report hazards and incidents.
Contractors and external partners	Comply with university requirements and provide required authorizations and waste-management records.

For the purposes of this policy, references to environmental health and safety functions refer to activities coordinated by the Public Safety Office, in cooperation with relevant specialist personnel and university units.

Monitoring, Compliance, and Review

The Public Safety Office shall coordinate regular inspections, risk assessments, and audits across relevant university facilities.

Monitoring shall consider waste quantities, segregation and storage practices, training completion, contractor documentation, incidents, and completion of corrective actions.

Non-compliance shall be addressed through corrective measures and, where appropriate, disciplinary or contractual action. Unsafe activities may be suspended until adequate controls are established.

This policy shall be reviewed every three years, or earlier following significant incidents, regulatory changes, or changes in university activities.

References 

Implementation shall be guided by:

• Palestinian Environmental Law No. 7 of 1999 and applicable Environmental Quality Authority requirements.

• Applicable Ministry of Health and occupational safety requirements.

• Relevant WHO and UNEP guidance.

• ISO 14001 environmental management principles.

• Basel Convention requirements where applicable to transboundary waste movements.

Related Policies

This policy shall be read and implemented alongside the following university policies:

• Sustainable Waste Management Policy — Provides the wider framework for waste prevention, segregation, reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal.

• Waste Measurement and Recycling Management Policy — Supports waste measurement, record keeping, reporting, and monitoring of waste management performance.

• Environmental Conservation Policy — Supports pollution prevention and protection of the environment from hazardous releases and improper disposal.

• Sustainable Procurement and Purchasing Policy — Supports responsible purchasing decisions, including reducing hazardous material use and selecting suitable suppliers and service providers.

• Extension of Sustainability Policies to Outsourced Services and Supply Chain — Extends relevant university sustainability requirements to external contractors, including providers involved in waste collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal.

• Contract Management Policy — Supports contractual accountability, provider oversight, and documentation of obligations for hazardous waste services.

For hazardous materials and waste, the specific safety, segregation, treatment, and disposal requirements established in this policy shall apply alongside these related policies. Reuse and recycling shall proceed only where safe, lawful, and appropriate to the waste concerned.

Effective Date: 12 October 2016
Last Review Date: 20 June 2025