Accessibility statement

Disposal Standards

The following summarising some of the key disposal practices in labs.  Details of laboratory disposal practices are located on the Waste Disposal section of the safety web pages.

  • All dilute water, soluble waste should be flushed down the sink with copious amounts of cold water.
  • Solvent waste:
    • Three categories of waste solvents are disposed of via Biology Stores. The hierarchy of waste disposal is:
      1. Halogenated (eg, chloroform/tetrahydrofuran (THF)
      2. Flammable (eg ether/DMSO)
      3. Aqueous (water based solutions used as solvent)
  • All flammable and halogenated solvents must be collected in 'contained' (plastic coated) ‘Winchester’ (2.5 litre) bottles for disposal via Biology Stores.
  • Plastic coated waste collection bottles must be labelled (specific labels available from Biology Stores).
  • Plastic coated waste collection bottles must be thoroughly rinsed (to remove residual chemical that could be reactive with collected waste solvent) before use (confirmed by a sticker on the bottle, available from Biology Stores).
  • Solvent waste bottle lids must not be tightened (loosen lid during use to avoid possible risk of pressure build up within the bottle).
  • Organic solvent waste should be kept to a minimum (if possible try to substitute water miscible solvents) and stored properly in appropriate bottles for disposal via Biology Stores.

Individual (Non-Solvent) Chemical Waste

  • The following specific individual hazardous waste chemicals need to be collected separately and disposed of via Biology Stores and Goods Services:
    • Concentrated reactive substances eg acids, alkalis, peroxides, oxidising and reducing agents.
    • Waste containing 'heavy metals' and 'transition metals'.
    • 'PCBs' (polychlorinated biphenyls)
    • Mercury spillage (including mercury contaminated tissues/sponges/glass)
    • Old/Unwanted stock chemicals in original package.
    • Silicon oil
    • Acetonitrile, amines, ethanediol, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), phenol.

Note:

  • Do not mix reactive substances in one waste container eg concentrated acids, alkalis, peroxides, oxidising and reducing agents
  • Use 'contained' (plastic coated) 'Winchester' (2.5 litre) bottles (available from Biology Stores) for disposal via Biology Stores.
  • Plastic coated waste collection bottles must be labelled (specific labels available from Biology Stores).
  • Plastic coasted waste collection bottles must be thoroughly rinsed (to remove residual chemical that could be reactive with collected waste solvent) before use (confirmed by a sticker on the bottle, available from Biology Stores).
  • Put uncontaminated broken glass into the ‘red bin’ provided.
  • All samples / materials containing hazardous concentrations of chemicals to disposed of in yellow bins / bags. 
  • All bio-hazardous materials (liquid or solid) to be inactivated using validated methods (e.g. appropriate disinfectant / autoclave treatment). 
  • All sharp objects (needles, glass Pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, etc.) must be placed in special sharps boxes, obtainable from Stores. 
  • Think about the safety of others. Never put such objects in other waste containers as serious injuries to technicians / cleaning staff can result.