Can your Sodium Hydroxide be re-used?
Posted on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 @ 11:55 AM
By Dave Williamson, Industrial Account Manager 
One man's garbage is another's gold. Everyday companies are continually trying to become "greener" and everyday someone is shipping sodium hydroxide as hazardous waste for disposal. Want to look like a hero in your EH&S program by reducing your hazardous waste? Of course who doesn't? In many cases sodium hydroxide can be re-used in a process as a substitute to a commercial chemical product.
The best case scenario for re-use is unused sodium hydroxide. However, let's say it is spent with a ph over 12.5. After a few tests are run to see quality standard a determination can be made. Or it could even be solid sodium hydroxide. As long as it is water soluble it can be re-used. When can it not be recycled? Sodium hydroxide can not be recycled when it has high metals content or organic contaminants.
When transported it will still be considered a hazardous material but not a hazardous waste. The proper shipping name would be Sodium Hydroxide for recycling. When it comes time to do your next bi-annual report there will be no need to report this and it will show that your company shipped less hazardous waste. That might be worth mentioning come your next yearly evaluation.