Evaluation of Solid Waste Management in the Chemistry Laboratories of Tehran Universities

Background and Objectives: Particular importance of hazardous wastes is due to having characteristics such as toxicity, flammability, corrosively and reactivity. Some of the chemical wastes due to having hazardous materials must be collected and managed in a proper manner, since they are potentially harmful to the environment. Owing to the fact that educational centers have important roles in developing countries, so the main objective of the present study was to investigate, hazardous waste management in chemistry laboratories of Ministry of Science universities, in Tehran, Iran.Materials and Methods: Study area of this research includes all chemistry laboratories in Tehran universities which were covered by Ministry of Science. To obtain the number of samples, based on Scientific Principles and identification formula, 64 samples were calculated. In addition, sampling was done by Stratified sampling. Validated checklists were used for data gathering. Data analysis were done by Descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and etc.) and inferential statistics (kruskal- wallis test).Results: results obtained in this study indicate that Sharif University by obtaining the mean score of 60.5 and Tehran University by obtaining the mean score of 4.5-6 are placed in best and worst rank, respectively. Beheshty, Alzahra and Tarbiat Moallem univesities by acquiring the mean score of 20-28.5 have a same position in ranking table. Conclusion: Results show that most of the studied laboratories do not have any collection program and only 26.5 percent of them have acceptable programs.The separation and storing program observed in about 12.5 percent . Hazardous wastes management in chemistry laboratory of Tehran Universities was not in good status. And from the standpoint of management, only 12.5 percent of studied cases are in good status, while 75 percent was in undesirable status.