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proper disposal procedure, look up the chemical in the chemical section of the
Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference Manual and find the Flinn Suggested Disposal
Procedure (e.g., Disposal: #26a) in the chemical listing. Then find the Flinn
Suggested Disposal Procedure in the reference section of this manual. The disposal
of chemical wastes is regulated by federal, state and local ordinances; do not
perform any disposal procedure without first consulting with your local government
regulatory officials.
Type III Preserved Materials
Examples
Preserved materials used in dissection activities, such as fetal pigs, frogs and rats,
either before or after dissection. Museum mount display materials.
HAZARDS
Preserved materials are often fixed using formalin or formaldehyde. After the
fixing process, the excess formaldehyde is usually removed and replaced with
a nonformaldehyde preservative. The preservative solution and the preserved
material both contain low levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and other
chemicals. Many of these chemicals are also toxic by ingestion and inhalation.
Disposal Procedure
Do not perform this procedure if your school uses a septic system for waste
water treatment. No chemicals should be placed down the drain unless your
school is hooked up to a municipal water treatment facility. Prior to starting this
procedure, check with your local water treatment facility for any rules or regulations
concerning the disposal of formaldehyde solutions.
The first step in this disposal procedure is to rinse and wash away the preservative
from the specimens. The room in which this process is undertaken should be well
ventilated. Transfer the preserved specimens to a large plastic bucket or pail
and place it in a large sink. Attach a length of tubing to the cold water outlet and,
wearing gloves, force the exit end of the tubing into the very bottom of the bucket.
If possible, use a water faucet equipped with a siphon breaker to eliminate the
possibility of backflow.
Turn the water on slowly. You may want to start the water flowing before you
force the tubing into the bucket to better gauge and control the water flow. A very
slow but steady flow is desirable.
Allow the water to flow into the bottom of the bucket, forcing the preservative to
overflow into the sink. Continue washing the specimens overnight or for a period of
10–12 hours to completely wash all preservative from the specimens.
After the wash cycle is complete, turn off the water, remove the tubing and drain
all the remaining water from the container. Let the specimens drain for an hour and
then double bag them in nontransparent plastic bags (black is preferred). Seal each
bag completely and follow your local procedures for normal garbage disposal. Do
not leave the specimens where students may find them, such as the trash can in
the laboratory.
Type IV Living Materials
Examples
Animals, such as snakes, guinea pigs, fish
HAZARDS
Deceased living materials may contain diseases or pathogenic microorganisms that
may spread to humans. Deceased animals should only be handled with gloves and
disposed of as quickly as possible.
Disposal Procedure
Living animals, especially reptiles, amphibians and insects, should never be
released to the environment unless first checking with local authorities. Introducing
new species to your local environment may result in irreparable damage to local
ecosystems.
Most areas prohibit the burial of dead animals, and you should review the local
county’s sanitation regulations for information on disposal of dead animals. For
advice, consult your local Humane Society office, the local animal shelter, highway
department or state natural resources department. A general disposal procedure
is to wrap the deceased animal in newspaper, place it in a nontransparent plastic
bag and then throw it in the main trash container if this is allowed. Do not leave the
animal where it may be discovered by students.
Microorganism cultures, such as protozoans, should be sterilized by as outlined
earlier and then flushed down the drain.
Very small dead fish can be simply flushed down the drain if the school is hooked
up to a municipal water treatment facility.
Type V Sharps and Broken Glass
Examples
Sharps and broken glass items; needles, dissecting blades, glass tubing and glass
pipets.
HAZARDS
Any sharp metal or glass object has the potential to puncture or cut the skin and
deliver pathogenic organisms directly into the bloodstream in addition to creating
a wound. These materials must be placed inside a hard plastic or metal container
to prevent any possible physical injury.
Disposal Procedure
Check with a local hospital, health clinic or college for assistance in disposing of
sharps. Hospitals and health clinics have rigorous programs to handle their sharps
and may be willing to help a local school in safely disposing of sharps.
If outside help is not available, either purchase a sharps disposal container or
obtain a hard plastic or metal container and add a large “sharps” label on the
outside. If using a plastic container, make sure it is a hard plastic that is not flexible
and cannot be easily squeezed. PET and PVC are usually better than LDPE or HDPE
plastic con tainers. Ideally, the bottle should have a narrow neck to prevent any
possibility of a student sticking hand into the sharps container. Another option is to
cut a small hole in the top of the lid to allow the sharps to be added but not easily
removed.
When the sharps container is full, the container and sharps must be sterilized
before disposal. After sterilization, place a cap on the bottle, wrap the container
in a heavy thickness of newspaper, place it in a nontransparent plastic bag and
dispose of it following local disposal procedures. Never place a sharps container
in a recycling bin.
Type VI Common Garbage Wastes
Examples
Paper products, plastic laboratory wastes that are not contaminated with chemicals
or biological material.
HAZARDS
No hazards are associated with these materials beyond that of normal garbage.
Disposal Procedure
If a material has been used to dispense a chemical solution, rinse thoroughly before
placing it in the trash. Dispose of all other materials that do not have chemical or
biological wastes in the normal trash following your normal trash procedures. A
good practice is to place disposable laboratory items in a black plastic garbage bag
and then thoroughly close the plastic bag before throwing it in the trash. This may
prevent laboratory items from being discovered in the trash by students and used
for personal experiments or practical jokes.
Biological Waste Disposal, Type II, continued
SAFETY REFERENCE BIOLOGICAL WASTE DISPOSAL
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