Disposal of laboratories waste

Disposal of laboratories waste

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Amjad Khan Afridi
Arrangements for Waste from Laboratories.
Introduction
Different types of waste are produced within laboratories during working .
This means that the disposal process must be assessed and suitable precautions used.
There is some overlap between the use of autoclave and yellow bags. (Any waste from Containment
level 3 laboratories must be autoclaved before sending for incineration.) Yellow bags are generally used
for patient related samples and are incinerated off site. Autoclave bags are not designed for
transportation of waste for incineration and therefore after autoclaving need to be inserted into yellow
bags for final disposal. Waste containing transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents (e.g. BSE &
CJD) requires special treatment.
 Yellow Bags
Yes.
 Gloves.
 Contaminated material e.g. packaging.
 Low hazard chemicals in small amounts.
 Clinical waste e.g. patient samples.
No
 Sharps.
 Chemicals classified as toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, corrosive etc.
 Microbiological waste (unless previously inactivated). E.g. cell cultures containing ACDP hazard
group 2 or greater. Patient samples known or likely to contain hazard group 3 or 4 biological
agents.
 Genetically modified material unless inactivated using a verified route.
Autoclave bags – clear plastic
Yes
 Patient samples
 Microbiological and Cell cultures.
 Potentially infected or contaminated material.
 Genetically modified material

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No
 Sharps, (This includes loose pipette tips – see footnote).
 Chemicals classified as toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, corrosive etc. (e.g.
Ethidium bromide).
Note: Pipette tips must be packed in a robust container.
Black bags
Yes
 Packaging material.
 Hand towels.
 Paper.
 Empty containers – plastic (as long as they are not contaminated).
No
 Anything contaminated.
 Chemicals in general.
 Batteries.
Sharps Boxes
Yes
 Needles.
 Scalpels.
 Razor blades.
 Pipette tips. (If not microbiologically contaminated).
 Glass vials.
No
 Liquids in general.
 Chemicals in general.
 Gloves.
 Packaging.

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Chemical waste
Yes
 All hazardous chemicals.
No
 Infectious substances.
 Radioactive substances.
Sink
Yes
 Dilute solutions not containing heavy metal salts.
 Low quantities of water-soluble / miscible organic chemicals (e.g. alcohol).
 Neutral pH.
No
 Heavy metals.
 Flammable substances.
 Solvents.
 Organic chemicals in general (see above for exception).
 Strong acids or alkalis.
 Oxidising agents e.g. Histoclear.
 Alkaline metals e.g. sodium and potassium.
 Microbiological material (unless disinfected).
 Genetically modified material (unless de-activated) by means of a verified route.
 Recycling
Paper - Rowland Hill Street (opposite entrance.
 Fleet Road near Lawn Road junction.
Batteries - Medical Electronics - Medical Physics (Ground Floor RFH).
Glass - Lawn Road access road (at side of Staff Education & Development Centre).
 Orange bags
Glass (rinsed if container used for hazardous substances).
autoclaved.

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Hazardous Waste Containers:
All hazardous waste material must be stored in an appropriate container.

The containers must be:
 Compatible with the waste material being stored; check MSDS
 Sturdy and leak-proof
 An appropriate size
 Under the control of the person generating and managing the waste
 Closed at all times except when adding waste, and have a tight-fitting cap. A container
is properly closed when it will not leak if placed on its side.
 Clearly identified with a hazardous waste label
 Secondary containment must be used for all waste containers under fume hoods to
prevent spills and accidental overflows from reaching the drain
 Not filled to capacity.
Containers that previously held materials that might be incompatible with the waste to be stored
(including food, beverage and detergent containers) are NOT suitable for storing waste.
Incompatible Materials: Certain hazardous wastes cannot be safely mixed or stored with other
materials because a severe reaction or explosion can occur or an extremely toxic reaction product can
result. The chemical label and/or MSDS should provide information on incompatibilities. In general,
hazardous waste containers should be segregated by hazard class as listed below:
 Ignitable/Flammable Reactive with Water Corrosive
 Explosive Reactive with Air Concentrated Acids
 Toxic Peroxide Formers Concentrated Base
 Oxidizers Halogenated Non-Halogenated

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 (A) General rules
1. All generators of potentially hazardous wastes must ensure the accurate and complete labelling
and safe storage, transport, treatment and disposal of such wastes.
2. Wastes should be minimised where possible.
3. Wastes should be segregated at the outset and mixing avoided where possible.
4. Untrained staff and students are not to handle hazardous wastes and must not be given
responsibility for them.
 (B) General rules
1. All generators of potentially hazardous wastes must ensure the accurate and complete
labelling and safe storage, transport, treatment and disposal of such wastes.
2. Wastes should be minimised where possible.
3. Wastes should be segregated at the outset and mixing avoided where possible.
4. Untrained staff and students are not to handle hazardous wastes and must not be given
responsibility for them.
General comments on storage
1. All storage facilities must be adequate, suitably sited, safe and hygienic.
2. Unqualified Personnel and Students are not to have access to waste storage.
3. Waste must not be compacted under any circumstances.
4. Categories of waste must be identified and separated before storage
5. Waste must not be allowed to accumulate excessively and must be collected as
frequently as possible.
6. The Safety, Health and Risk Management Branch must be kept informed of all
storage areas
Storage Containers
All laboratories must use standardised containers, bags and labeling.
Infectious wastes: Yellow bags with the internationally recognised biohazard symbol in black - double
bagging.
Cytotoxic Wastes: Purple bags with the cytotoxic waste symbol (a cell in telephase).
Radioactive wastes: Red bags with the black internationally recognised radioactivity symbol.
Waste transport
 External
All waste leaving RMIT is collected by accredited waste collection agencies. Loading of radioactive waste
is to be supervised by the staff at the Safety, Health and Risk Management Branch.

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The operator will provide EPA transportation certificates. Laboratory Managers will ensure that copies
are sent to the EPA.
 Internal
A. Transport of wastes to collection/storage areas.
1. All wastes must be fully labeled and secured within appropriately
designed and constructed containers.
2. Wastes must be transported only via goods elevator - not public
elevators.
3. All containers must be packed to minimise the risk of breakage or
rupture.
4. Spill kits and appropriately trained staff must accompany wastes.
5. Wastes must never be left unattended whilst waiting for collection by
external agencies.
B. Transport to autoclaves/incinerators.
High capacity autoclaves are in operation within the Department of Applied Biology and Biotechnology.
An effective 2 stage incinerator is operated within the animal house, Dept. of Applied Biology and
Biotechnology.
All waste from work involving animals used in conjunction with Pathogens, Genetically Manipulated
Organisms and Imported Biologicals, must be autoclaved and/or incinerated in the animal house
incinerator. The Animal House is a C1 containment area and wastes must be treated/disposed of within
its confines.
Waste generated in C1 areas outside of the animal house must be transported there for incineration. All
waste must be transported in appropriately labeled standard containers via the service elevator only.
Note: Standard procedures and materials to cope with accidental spillage should be readily available.
Methods of disposal
 Autoclaving
Used for the Treatment of Infectious wastes. Problems may arise because of bulk and compaction of
waste material; complete penetration of steam may be compromised and sterilization not achieved.
Only special autoclave bags may be used. All bags must carry an indicator to show that waste has been
subjected to adequate heat treatment. Autoclaves must be tested at least annually for adequate
performance.
 Chemical disinfection
Used for mopping up spills and for disinfectant baths for routine laboratory work. Sodium hypochlorite
(0.5%) is used for potentially AIDS contaminated equipment and disposables prior to autoclaving. A

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0.05% of Sodium Hypochlorite solution is used for general laboratory clean up for Haematological work
not involving spills. 70% ethyl alcohol is used for standard clean up in microbiology laboratories.
Hypochlorite solution should be rinsed off prior to autoclaving since dangerous gasses may be generated
when it is autoclaved.
 Incineration
Burning in a multichambered, monitored facility. At RMIT any waste requiring high temperature
incineration is collected by specialized agencies. Normal animal waste and carcasses are burned in the
Animal House Incinerator. All plastics or other materials likely to produce toxic emissions must be
collected by specialist agencies. Completely burned ashes are placed in sealed plastic bags and disposed
of through normal rubbish collection.
 Sewerage and drain system disposal
Wherever possible avoid discharging wastes into the Sewerage and Drain System.
Very dilute, non-toxic chemicals may be washed into the sewerage system if approved by Melbourne
Water. There are significantly justifiable limits for materials discharged into the Sewerage and Drain
System. All discharges must comply with the "Board Trade Waste Acceptance Standard as contained in
"By-law 208 of M.M.B.W. Act 1958 as amended" and "Interim Standards and Requirements for
Acceptance of Waste Discharged to the Sewerage System 1991". All enquires concerning wastes
discharged through the Sewerage System must be directed to RMIT Facilities Group