Hazardous Materials Management Chemical Redistribution Program

Material Redistribution

Policy on the Redistribution and Exchange of Surplus Chemicals through the UH Electronic Swap Meet

To minimize waste and negative impact on the environment, the University of Hawaii’s Environmental Health & Safety Office (EHSO) encourages the redistribution and exchange of surplus chemicals and chemical products within the UH system as an alternative to disposal as waste. This chemical exchange program provides additional benefit to the University by helping to reduce the expenses associated with disposing of hazardous waste and purchasing chemicals.Excess chemicals may be requested or offered online through the UH Electronic Swap Meet (www.hawaii.edu/swapmeet). The EHSO has developed the following policies in regard to the redistribution and exchange of chemicals through the UH Electronic Swap Meet:

  • Only UH personnel can offer or accept chemicals through the UH Electronic Swap Meet.
  • The offeror of the chemicals is responsible for ensuring that the receiver of the chemicals is a University of Hawaii employee.
  • The recipient must be using the chemicals for bona fide University purposes.
  • The recipient must comply with any acquisition approval requirements mandated by his/her campus, school, or department.
  • Chemicals must be in the original container, with the original label, unopened and have a remaining shelf life of at least 2 years.
  • Radioactive materials, chemicals requiring approval to purchase, and DEA controlled substances are NOT permitted for redistribution/exchange on the UH Electronic Swap Meet.
  • The recipient must have the knowledge, training, and facilities to safely use the chemicals, and accepts full responsibility for the proper storage, use, and disposal of the chemicals.
  • The offeror and recipient should make arrangements to ensure safe and proper packaging and transport of the materials.
  • Chemicals accepted should be used in its entirety within one year. To ensure chemical and environmental safety, speculative accumulation that may lead to unsafe storage or the generation of hazardous waste is discouraged.

EHSO is to be consulted for all questions pertaining to the above policies regarding chemical redistributions and exchanges. The UH Information Technology Services (ITS) Department hosts and maintains the UH Electronic Swap Meet, and the EHSO provides the chemical exchange policies for this program. However, EHSO and ITS make no claim as to the purity of the chemicals offered and/or received. These chemicals must be used for University of Hawaii purposes, by or under the direction of qualified personnel familiar with the properties and hazards of the materials. The EHSO and ITS are not responsible for pickup or delivery of these materials.