This page was borrowed from the USAP mcmurdo website. I wish trash could be as
well sorted and recycled in the states.
THE USAP TRASH DICTIONARY
This document has been created by Waste Management to assist
all personnel in the segregation of their waste stream. Waste
categories have been capitalized to avoid confusion. This
list is by no means complete, and any questions regarding
items not appearing herein should be directed to Waste
Management. In an effort to constantly improve the waste
management program in Antarctica, we invite any comments
and/or suggestions. Waste Management personnel can be reached
at the following numbers: Hazardous Waste @ 2741, Solid Waste
@ 2740, or the SEH Division @ 2544.
Aerosol Cans: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - This item will be
collected and depressurized by personnel at the
haz-yard.
Aluminum Cans: ALUMINUM - These should be empty. Please don't put
your cigarettes or chew spit in aluminum cans.
Aluminum, Scrap: HEAVY METAL, if thicker than 1/16". LIGHT
METAL, if
1 /16" or thinner.
Aluminum Wire: WIRE & COPPER.
Batteries: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - Dry cell,
alkaline, and rechargeable batteries go into
the battery box where the recycle bins are
located. Lead acid batteries (like truck
batteries) are HAZARDOUS WASTE and have to be
disposed of through the Hazardous Waste Yard.
Bolts: HEAVY METAL - Reuse when possible.
Books: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPER - or put in the lounges for
others to read.
Boots: CLOTHING - If they can still be worn by someone
else. Otherwise put them into CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Brooms: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS. Cannibalize broom parts. If
only the handle is broken, save the brush to use as
bench brushes. If the brush is broken, save the
handle as a replacement.
Bubble Wrap: PLASTIC - or use it again. Save it for packing your
items home at the end of the season. Far too much
of this is wasted.
Cans, Metal: LIGHT METAL - Food cans must be rinsed and the
labels removed before disposal. Please do not bag
these items.
Cans, Cardboard: BURNABLES - The container only. Plastic lids
go into PLASTICS, and pull-off metal lid goes
in LIGHT METAL.
Cardboard
Corrugated: CARDBOARD - Boxes should be flattened and
placed in dumpsters.
Cardboard
Single Wall: BURNABLES - This category includes shoe, cereal,
and juice boxes; toilet paper rolls; and software
boxes.
Cargo Strap: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken straps only. The
majority of the ones we find in the dumpsters are
only jammed. Return useable straps to work centers.
Plastic banding and straps - PLASTIC. Metal straps
- see Metal Banding.
Carpet: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Cassettes: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Music and video, re-
record if not broken. Or put them in a skua
box.
Catalogs: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
Cellophane: BURNABLES - Cellophane and thin plastic
wrappers (i.e. Saran Wrap).
Ceramics: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken cups, dishes, etc.
Chain: HEAVY METAL.
Circuit Boards: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Clothes: CLOTHING - Put clean, discarded clothing in the
bins in the dorm lounges. Dirty, unusable clothing
see Rags.
Coat Hangers: LIGHT METAL, if they are broken.
Conduit: LIGHT METAL - EMT conduit; HEAVY METAL - IMC and
Rigid conduit (be it steel or aluminum). Please
make sure the conduit is not longer than 8 feet in
length before you throw it away.
Copper: COPPER - Insulation on copper wire does not have to
be removed.
Crates, Wooden: WOOD - Broken crates only. Good crates will
be collected separately and placed in the
crate farm at Fortress Rock Center for reuse
by the public.
Dental Floss
Container: PLASTIC.
Deodorant
Containers: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - If it is an
Aerosol can. If it is a solid or roll-on -
PLASTIC, but only if empty. If any product
remains in the solid/roll-on, place it go into
PRODUCT CONTAINERS.
Disposable
Lighters: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Drywall: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Duct Tape: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Electronic
Components: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Only if broken, or no
longer useful. All electronic and/or computer
parts must be checked with Information Systems
prior to being disposed of as CONSTRUCTION
DEBRIS. The NSF requires USAP participants to
be accountable for all electronic/computer
parts and systems.
Engines: HEAVY METAL - Internal combustion engines must be
drained of all fluids, have all wires, filters, and
hoses removed before being disposed.
Fan Belts: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Felt Tip Pens: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Film,
Photographic: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Fluorescent
Light Tubes: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - if not broken.
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - if broken. Please do not
break tubes, they contain Mercury.
Foam Rubber: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Food Contaminated
Containers: FOOD CONTAMINATED.
Food Waste: FOOD WASTE - Leftover food, coffee grounds,
orange peels, peanut shells... and anything
similar. Please no glass jars or metal
containers.
Food Wrappers: BURNABLES - Paper and mixed media wrappers;
PLASTIC - Plastic wrappers; FOOD CONTAMINATED -
Wrappers with food that is likely to spoil.
Glass: GLASS - Clean, unbroken glass bottles (clear,
green, and/or brown) or jars. The labels can stay,
but the lid or cap should go into its appropriate
container. Window glass - CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Gloves: CLOTHING - If they can be worn again. Otherwise
they go into CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Glue: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Hand Warmers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Insulation: PLASTIC or CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Blue board.
Fiberglass insulation goes in CONSTRUCTION
DEBRIS.
Light Bulbs: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Incandescent or regular
bulbs.
Loose Leaf
Binders: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken binders only. Reuse
if not broken.
Magazines: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS. Put these in the
lounges for others to read, unless they're
really old or tattered.
Manuals: WHITE PAPER - If printed on white paper. Remove
the covers and place covers in BURNABLES. If not
printed on white paper - BURNABLES. Tab dividers -
BURNABLES.
Markers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Felt tip pens and markers.
Metal Banding: LIGHT METAL. Far too much of this is wasted. It can
easily be re-used.
Mops: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Motors: HEAVY METAL - Starter motors, windshield wiper
motors, fan motors, any electrical motor.
Nail Polish
Remover: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Newspapers: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
Paint: HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Pallets: WOOD - Broken pallets only. Unbroken pallets will
be placed in the crate farm at Fortress Rock Center
for reuse by the public. Set them outside your work
center for pick-up, and keep broken and non-broken
pallets segregated.
Pens: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Radiator Hose: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Razors,
Disposable: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Prophylactics: DORMITORY BIOLOGICAL WASTE.
Rags: CLOTHING - Clean rags. Oil and paint
contaminated rags are considered HAZARDOUS
WASTE. Dirty rags from washing truck windows,
etc. - CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Rope: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - All types of rope,
including poly rope.
Sanitary Napkins: BIOLOGICAL DORMITORY WASTE
Shampoo Bottles: PLASTIC - If empty. PRODUCT CONTAINERS - If
not empty.
Shoes: See Boots.
Silverware: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Reuse or return to
galley if undamaged.
String: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Styrofoam: PLASTIC
Styrofoam
Peanuts: PLASTIC - Place in plastic bag and tie off. Please
report to the SEH Division for investigation to
determine how the material was transported to
Antarctica, and to prevent future use.
Tampons: BIOLOGICAL DORMITORY WASTE
Toiletry Tubes: PLASTICS - If empty. DORMITORY PRODUCT
CONTAINER - If not empty.
Toothbrushes: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Toothpaste Tubes: PLASTICS - If empty. DORMITORY PRODUCT
CONTAINER - If not empty.
White Paper: WHITE PAPER - White paper with any color ink,
manuals, books printed on smooth white paper.
Please remove staples and covers.
Window Glass: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Windshield Wipers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Cans, Cardboard: BURNABLES - The container only. Plastic lids
go into PLASTICS, and pull-off metal lid goes
in LIGHT METAL.
Cardboard
Corrugated: CARDBOARD - Boxes should be flattened and
placed in dumpsters.
Cardboard
Single Wall: BURNABLES - This category includes shoe,
cereal, and juice boxes; toilet paper rolls;
and software boxes.
Cargo Strap: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken straps only.
Return useable straps to work centers.
Plastic banding and straps - PLASTIC. Metal
straps - see Metal Banding.
Carpet: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Cassettes: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Music and video, reuse
if possible.
Catalogs: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
Cellophane: BURNABLES - Cellophane and thin plastic
wrappers (i.e. Saran Wrap).
Ceramics: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken cups, dishes, etc.
Chain: HEAVY METAL.
Circuit Boards: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Clothes: CLOTHING - Put clean, discarded clothing in the
bins in the dorm lounges. Dirty, unusable clothing
see Rags.
Coat Hangers: LIGHT METAL.
Conduit: LIGHT METAL - EMT conduit; HEAVY METAL - IMC and
Rigid conduit (be it steel or aluminum). Please
make sure the conduit is not longer than 8 feet in
length before you throw it away.
Copper: COPPER - Insulation on copper wire does not have to
be removed.
Crates, Wooden: WOOD - Broken crates only. Good crates will
be collected separately and placed in the
crate farm at Fortress Rock Center for reuse
by the public.
Dental Floss
Container: PLASTIC.
Deodorant
Containers: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - If it is an
Aerosol can. If it is a solid or roll-on -
PLASTIC, but only if empty. If any product
remains in the solid/roll-on, place it go into
PRODUCT CONTAINERS.
Disposable
Lighters: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Drywall: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Duct Tape: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Electronic
Components: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Only if broken, or no
longer useful. All electronic and/or computer
parts must be checked with Information Systems
prior to being disposed of as CONSTRUCTION
DEBRIS. The NSF requires USAP participants to
be accountable for all electronic/computer
parts and systems.
Engines: HEAVY METAL - Internal combustion engines must be
drained of all fluids, have all wires, filters, and
hoses removed before being disposed.
Fan Belts: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Felt Tip Pens: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Film,
Photographic: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Fluorescent
Light Tubes: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE - if not broken.
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - if broken. Please do
not break tubes, they contain Mercury.
Foam Rubber: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Food Contaminated
Containers: FOOD CONTAMINATED.
Food Waste: FOOD WASTE - Leftover food, coffee grounds,
orange peels, peanut shells... and anything
similar. Please no glass jars or metal
containers.
Food Wrappers: BURNABLES - Paper and mixed media wrappers;
PLASTIC - Plastic wrappers; FOOD CONTAMINATED -
Wrappers with food that is likely to spoil.
Glass: GLASS - Clean, unbroken glass bottles (clear,
green, and/or brown) or jars. The labels can
stay, but the lid or cap should go into its
appropriate container. Window glass -
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Gloves: CLOTHING - If they can be worn again. Otherwise
they go into CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Glue: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Hand Warmers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Insulation: PLASTIC or CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Blue board.
Fiberglass insulation goes in CONSTRUCTION
DEBRIS.
Light Bulbs: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Incandescent or regular
bulbs.
Loose Leaf
Binders: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Broken binders only. Reuse
if possible.
Magazines: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
Manuals: WHITE PAPER - If printed on white paper. Remove
the covers and place covers in BURNABLES. If not
printed on white paper - BURNABLES. Tab dividers -
BURNABLES.
Markers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Felt tip pens and markers.
Metal Banding: LIGHT METAL.
Mops: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Motors: HEAVY METAL - Starter motors, windshield wiper
motors, fan motors, any electrical motor.
Nail Polish
Remover: REGULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Newspapers: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS.
Paint: HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Pallets: WOOD - Broken pallets only. Unbroken pallets will
be placed in the crate farm at Fortress Rock Center
for reuse by the public.
Pens: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Radiator Hose: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Razors,
Disposable: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Prophylactics: DORMITORY BIOLOGICAL WASTE.
Rags: CLOTHING - Clean rags. Oil and paint
contaminated rags are considered HAZARDOUS
WASTE. Dirty rags from washing truck windows,
etc. - CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Rope: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - All types of rope,
including poly rope.
Sanitary Napkins: BIOLOGICAL DORMITORY WASTE
Shampoo Bottles: PLASTIC - If empty. PRODUCT CONTAINERS - If
not empty.
Shoes: See Boots.
Silverware: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - Reuse or return to
galley if undamaged.
String: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Styrofoam: PLASTIC
Styrofoam
Peanuts: PLASTIC - Place in plastic bag and tie off. Please
report to the SEH Division for investigation to
determine how the material was transported to
Antarctica, and to prevent future use.
Tampons: BIOLOGICAL DORMITORY WASTE
Toiletry Tubes: PLASTICS - If empty. DORMITORY PRODUCT
CONTAINER - If not empty.
Toothbrushes: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Toothpaste
Tubes: PLASTICS - If empty. DORMITORY PRODUCT
CONTAINER - If not empty.
White Paper: WHITE PAPER - White paper with any color ink,
manuals, books printed on smooth white paper.
Please remove staples and covers.
Window Glass: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Windshield
Wipers: CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.