Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA)

A SAA can be a shelf, counter, cupboard, cabinet, drum, etc. located in any room, work area, art studio or laboratory where hazardous waste is generated. SAAs must be managed to comply with the following criteria:

1. Area must be located at or near the point of hazardous waste generation.
2. Area must be under the control of the person, who generated the waste (the process operator).
3. All SAAs must be identified by area specific signs provided by the Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH & S).
4. Areas may contain no more than 55 gallons of hazardous waste or 1-quart of acutely hazardous (P-Listed) waste at each point of generation.
5. Hazardous waste containers cannot be moved from one SAA and used in another SAA.
6. Only one container per waste stream is allowed.
7. Hazardous waste must be properly labeled.
   • Hazardous waste containers must be labeled with the Alfred University “Hazardous Waste” Satellite Accumulation Label. (see label section) Obtain labels from EH & S.
   • When first drop of waste is added to the container, fill in the SAA label with the building name, room number, accumulation start date, your initials, and chemical names, including water (use words, not formulas) and approximate volume or weight percent of each constituent.
   • Fill in the waste characteristics by Test or Knowledge.
   • Hazardous waste labels must be legible.
8. Hazardous waste containers must always be closed during storage, except when it is necessary to add or remove waste. Use screw type lids – no stoppers or parafilm.
9. Hazardous waste containers must not be opened, handled, or stored in a manner that may rupture the container or cause it to leak.
10. Hazardous waste containers must be in good condition. If the waste container begins to leak, bulge, rust, or is otherwise damaged, place the degraded container into a larger secure container, or if this is not possible, carefully transfer the hazardous waste to a container that is in good condition.
11. Hazardous waste containers must be made with or lined with materials that will not react, and are otherwise compatible, with the hazardous waste to be stored. Do not use consumable product containers – i.e. milk, yogurt, etc.
12. When a hazardous waste container becomes full (4/5ths is full) – enter the full date on the label.
13. Full containers of hazardous waste must be moved to the Central Accumulation Area within 72 hours of the full date. Contact EH&S at x2190 (Myers and Harder CAA), or NYSCC at x2497 (McMahon CAA) prior to moving hazardous waste to a CAA so necessary arrangements can be made.
14. A generator who accumulates either hazardous waste or acutely hazardous waste in excess of the quantities listed above must date the container with the day that the excess occurred and move the waste to the Central Accumulation Area within 72 hours.
15. Use secondary containment to hold potential spills and to segregate incompatible wastes (ex. oxidizers from flammables).
16. Flammable storage cabinets must be used for any area having in excess of 25 gallons of flammable waste.
17. Use of a fume hood as a SAA restricts its use for any other purpose.
18. Store potential explosives securely and separately (peroxides, perchlorates, picrics, etc.)
19. Satellite accumulation area inspections must be completed weekly. During holidays, breaks, employee time-off, or the summer, the inspector of the SAA is responsible for making necessary arrangements to fulfill the weekly inspection requirement. There are three ways to maintain weekly compliance during these occasions:
    • Ask someone else (a co-worker, supervisor) do the inspection while you are gone.
    • Change your inspection date. For an example let’s use the Thanksgiving Holiday and, say, you usually inspect on a Friday. To maintain compliance, inspect earlier – Tuesday or Wednesday. Then inspect again within 7 days of that date and again on Friday to get back to your routine. You would do 2 inspections during 1 work week if you wish to resume your original inspection schedule.
    • Send all the waste in your SAA to the Central Accumulation Area. Fill out an inspection form with the date, etc, and state all the waste has been entered into the CAA. Then resume the weekly inspections when you return.
    • Inspection criteria are listed on the Hazardous Waste SAA Inspection form.
    • The SAA inspection form, custom made for your area, is provided by EH & S. Notify EH&S immediately of any changes in SAA status.
    • The completed Alfred University SAA inspection form must be submitted to EH & S, 117 Myers Hall.

EH&S: Rev. 04/01/09