Flammable
substances and water immiscible substances must NEVER be discharged down sinks.
In addition, the following substances must NEVER be poured down the sink (the Red
List of prescribed substances):
Mercury and
its compounds Cadmium and its compounds
gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane
DDT Pentachlorophenol
Hexachlorobenzene
Hexachlorobutadiene Aldrin
Dieldrin
Endrin Carbon
Tetrachloride Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Dichlorvas 1,2-Dichloroethane
Trichlorobenzene
Atrazine Simazine
Tributyltin compounds
Triphenyltin Trifluralin
Fenitrothion
Azinphos-methyl Malathion
Endosurfan
Do NOT allow chemicals to build up in your laboratory, if you will not or
it is likely you will not use a chemical again, DISPOSE OF IT!
Don't leave it on the shelf.
All
postgraduate workers and staff are responsible for arranging the safe disposal
of samples and chemicals that they have ordered but no longer require. This
must be in consultation with Supervisors. At the termination of work, when keys
are returned, affirmation will be required that all outstanding disposals have
been dealt with. Charges may be made to Supervisors who persistently leave
unwanted materials.
The following
guidelines must be adhered to regarding disposal of chemicals:
- Purchase
only enough chemical to complete your experiment.
- When
designing and COSHH assessing experiments, remember to give due
consideration to the safe disposal of waste.
- Toxic
waste for disposal should be clearly labelled with details and
concentration of contents, date and laboratory and user’s name.
- Waste
mercury from broken thermometers is best collected, stored under water and
saved for recycling. Traces of mercury remaining should be treated with
zinc or sulphur dust, brushed up and put into a screw-capped jar before
sending for disposal.
- Advice
should be sought from the College COSHH Adviser over material that requires
specialized licensed disposal.
- Small
quantities of material contaminated with chemicals that require
incineration, for example, tips contaminated with ethidium bromide or
acrylamide, should be placed in a YELLOW bag marked Biohazard and sent for
incineration (see below). Keep this waste to a minimum.
- Large
volumes of acid or strong alkali should be neutralised before washing to
waste with copious quantities of water.
- Silica
Gel Waste and other chromatographic media must be placed in labelled
plastic containers, for disposal at College chemical waste pickups.
- Under NO
circumstances should any chemical waste be placed in the normal laboratory
waste bins; consult with technical staff if in doubt.
- Waste
solvents must be poured into properly labelled waste solvent containers
(please remove original labels if re-using bottles). DO NOT throw solvents
down the drains.
- Halogenated
hydrocarbon waste should be segregated from non-halogenated hydrocarbon
waste.
- As there
is a real possibility of explosion of waste acetone and chloroform in the
presence of alkali, ACETONE should only be added to the Acetone
waste bottles; if for some reason it is contaminated, then it should be
sent for disposal in a separate container clearly labelled ‘Do not mix
with other waste solvent’ THIS IS IMPORTANT.
- In
general, waste solvent that contains a high concentration of acid or base
should not be indiscriminately added to general waste solvent containers
but disposed of separately.
- Decompose
reactive materials before placing in waste solvent bottles.
There should be a
dedicated broken glass disposal bin in each laboratory. All chemicals must be
rinsed off and any glassware used for cell culture, tissue handling or microbiological
work must be disinfected or autoclaved before disposal.
NEVER put broken glass in ordinary waste bins in case of accidental
injury to staff collecting the waste.
Blades,
hypodermic needles, capillary spotters and other ‘sharps’ should be placed in a
yellow ‘sharps’ disposal container available from the Stores. Containers of
biologically contaminated sharps should be autoclaved before disposal.
Containers should then be placed in the yellow wheelie bin for incineration.
Low risk
waste should be placed in the bins provided.
See Section
10
See Section
12
