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Instructions for Disposal of Laboratory Waste
How do I dispose of it properly?
Laboratory waste usually is hazardous waste that must be disposed of according to specific guidelines. To make disposal easier for you, you'll find instructions below:
Preliminary note:
Vessels must always be emptied before disposal!
There are two main categories of waste:
- Solid Laboratory Waste
- Liquid Laboratory Waste
1. Disposal of Solid Laboratory Waste
If you have to dispose of solid laboratory waste, the first question is: is this object pointy, sharp, jagged or similar, so that you could hurt yourself? If this is the case, the waste must be disposed of in a puncture-resistant container with the label for sharp objects.
If the waste is not dangerous in this way, the following types of laboratory waste should be distinguished:
| Glass Waste | ||
| Type of Container | Specification | Label |
 | If you have to dispose of glass waste and it is contaminated with chemicals, dispose of it in white barrels with red lid and the label for contaminated glass waste. |  |
 | If the glass waste is not contaminated, please do not put it into the normal waste, but into the blue barrels with the label for non-contaminated glass waste. It is important to dispose of the non-contaminated glass waste separately from the normal residual waste because the waste presses are damaged by broken glass. |  |
 | Empty solvent bottles made of glass must be evaporated under the hoods and then disposed of in glass containers for brown glass in the backyard (1st basement). First remove all stickers and hazard labels as far as possible! | |
| Non Glass | ||
| Type of Container | Specification | Label |
 | All types of contaminated equipment (except with mineral oil as a contaminant), such as protective gloves, wipes, pipette tips, reaction vials (emptied!), gels, silica gel, alumina, etc. belong to the white containers with blue lid and the label for contaminated equipment. |  |
| Rarely you will have mineral oil-contaminated wipes or the like (for example after an oil change on a rotary vane pump). Then dispose of it in a container labeled for oil contaminated equipment. As rarely needed, these barrels are often not ready for disposal. In this case, contact one of the technical assistants. |  |
 | Residues of Chemical must be collected separately and declared in a list upon submission. If you want to dispose of solid chemicals, please contact one of the technical assistants. | |
| Biohazardous waste (for example, when working at the clean bench) must be disposed of in the yellow or white bins labeled “Biohazard Warning”. The garbage bags are autoclaved before disposal. |  |
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| Non-toxic and non-contaminated solid laboratory waste can be disposed of in the containers for normal waste (Restmüll), which are also left in the laboratory. However, it should clearly be non-toxic waste. In case of doubt, dispose of as contaminated equipment (s.o.). |  |
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2. Disposal of Liquid Laboratory Waste
Liquids are usually disposed of in appropriate labeled containers placed in a solvent cabinet.
Unfortunately, on the labels there are also listed substances that may be contained in the canisters, but not necessarily include therein. This declaration is important for transports (especially in the case of accidents), but does not have much to do with what actually should belong in there.
| Organic Solvents (and Its Mixtures) | ||
| Type of Container | Specification | Label |
 | If you dispose of liquids, first question is: Does the liquid contain halogenated organic substances (such as chloroform, dichloromethane, chloral hydrate)? If so, please dispose of in a can with green label for organo-halogenated solvents (and mixtures). The ethyl acetate listed here on the label, as a substance that may be included, has to be disposed of as pure substance or in a mixture without halogenated organic compounds and methanol in the cans with red label for organic solvents (and mixtures). |  |
| If the fluid contains significant amounts of methanol (> 3%), dispose of it in a canister with the blue label for methanol-containing solvent mixtures. The acetonitrile listed on the label as a substance that may be included, belongs as a pure substance or in mixture without halogenated organic compounds and methanol in the cans with red label for organic solvents (and mixtures). |  |
| If there is any organic solvent in the liquid but no halogenated organic compound or methanol, dispose of it in a canister with the red label for organic solvents (mixtures). |  |
| Aqueous Solutions | ||
| If the liquid is to be classified as a purely aqueous solution, dispose of it in a can with yellow label. Attention: There are several different categories here. | ||
| Type of Container | Specification | Label |
| Fill solutions with inorganic salts, organic buffer substances, diluted heavy metal salts and so on and a pH between 6 and 9 (slightly acidic to basic) into a canister with the label for “Wässrige Waschflüssigkeiten und Mutterlaugen”. |  |
| Dispose of acidic solutions or a mixture of dilute inorganic acids in the canister with the label “Andere Säuren”. Never ever fill in cyanide compounds (risk of poisoning!) or organic acids(decarboxylation reactions cause the canisters to swell and burst). |  |
| If you do have organic acids in aqueous solution, please dispose of them in a canister labeled “Wässrige Waschflüssigkeiten und Mutterlaugen” and the special note “Organic acids (Organische Säuren)”. |  |
| In case of an alkaline aqueous solution with a pH > 9, dispose of it in the canister with the label “Andere Basen”. |  |
| Used Mineral Oil | ||
| Type of Container | Specification | Label |
| After a change of mineral oil, it is to be disposed of in a canister with a white label for mineral oils. As rarely needed, these canisters are often not ready for disposal. In this case, contact one of the technical assistants. |  |
| Others |
| In addition, there are other categories of waste (e.g., for developer and fixative solutions) but they usually do not matter to us. When needed, appropriate information can be found on the Website of the Environmental Protection Department of the University of Freiburg or from a list you'll find here. |
— Marcus Essing 2018/07/10 14:49
