The accidental release section of the sds normally tells you to store recovered liquid in sealed containers. 

There are a few exceptions (isocyanate is one I know of) where this section says to the contrary the containers must not be sealed.  The reason for not sealing is that the material can react with atmospheric moisture producing a pressure build-up in the container.  This is not the case with typical solvents. 

I suggest checking the accidental release section of the sds (even though you may not have had an accidental release!) of the chemicals you have for the avoidance of doubt.

You might also need to consider the contaminants in the waste solvent and whether they are reactive.

And to answer your question directly - no, it is not common practice. It is however good practice to leave an air gap at the top of the container (that is not to fill it to the brim) to allow for thermal expansion that could result in over-pressurising.

Most of the time there is no significant increase in pressure for solvent waste even if it is very hot day. I have seen Winchesters (2. 5 litre bottles) of solvent burst but this is most likely due to incompatible materials being mixed together and reacting in the bottle.  I would expect solvents to be stored with the lids on to prevent spillage and the escape of volatile vapours which might be harmful or flammable.

I worked in the waste industry many years ago, and one of our waste streams was waste solvents. They were always kept in sealed containers, and as soon as possible transferred to a dedicated compound for bulking up for incineration, with suitable precautions (earthing arrangments, zone 2 rated FLT, flame arrestors) for those that were flammable. Costs for incineration would rise dramatically if the solvent was chlorinated (you need scrubbed incinerators for chlorinated solvents, even a small amount of chlorine), but then they found that they could burn them in cement kilns, so don't know what happened on this.

Not common practice to leave them in unsealed containers - there would be either an ignition risk, or for others an effect on people in the vicinity, as per another post on this.

Yes, I know the feeling.  This forum does have its uses in checking what you think you know!

Originally Posted by: biker1

I worked in the waste industry many years ago, and one of our waste streams was waste solvents. They were always kept in sealed containers, and as soon as possible transferred to a dedicated compound for bulking up for incineration, with suitable precautions (earthing arrangments, zone 2 rated FLT, flame arrestors) for those that were flammable. Costs for incineration would rise dramatically if the solvent was chlorinated (you need scrubbed incinerators for chlorinated solvents, even a small amount of chlorine), but then they found that they could burn them in cement kilns, so don't know what happened on this.

Not common practice to leave them in unsealed containers - there would be either an ignition risk, or for others an effect on people in the vicinity, as per another post on this.

Thank you Biker for putting to sleep the Health and Safety myth that chlorinated waste cannot be mixed with non-chlorinated because it might react explosively! I have even read it in guidance published by “experts”. Chlorinated compounds, must be kept away from non-chlorinated because if you burn chlorinated compounds ( is the usually fate of solvents) you risk creating nasty toxic compounds like dioxins.

Originally Posted by: Hsquared14

I have 11 years in the paint industry and can also confirm that all solvents including wastes must be kept in sealed containers.   The last thing you want is stray solvent vapour drifting around.  Someone else has quite rightly said that anything with an isocyanate content needs to be vented otherwise the drum can fill up with CO2 not something you really want to see.  And here it is a definite do as I say and not as I do because I vividly remember having to bury a drum that was about to blow in 2 Tonnes of wet sand and then having to get a marksman to shoot a hole in the drum to let the gas out before it exploded under the pressure.  Not something I would want to repeat!  So the moral is that you need to really know your waste streams and know how each material should be stored.

Burying it in wet sand! Marksmen! What an exciting life some of our members lead!

For my part DSE assessments give me a fit of the vapours!

I think you should probably write a book.