Proper segregation of laboratory waste protects not only you, your lab mates and custodial and maintenance staff but the Lubbock and surrounding area and community as well. Understanding how and why to properly dispose of waste makes your work areas safer. 

Why Segregate?

Waste streams are segregated in work areas, including lab areas and occupational shops, to protect personnel and the environment. Treatment and/or disposal methods vary with waste type. Not all lab waste can be tossed into one container with you crossing your fingers that nothing bad happens.

Glass Waste

Glass waste, whether it is broken or intact, must be cleaned before disposal into an appropriate glass waste container. Glass waste containers are typically the labeled broken glass boxes available from laboratory vendors but a sturdy, labeled cardboard box with a plastic liner and sealable lid is also appropriate.

Do not dispose of anything except glass in a glass waste container. Do not overfill containers. You must be able to pop up the center cardboard to seal the box tightly. When boxes are full, they are sealed, taped closed and disposed of in a municipal dumpster by work area personnel.

Tips

• Broken glass must be handled with care. Do not handle broken glass directly with your hands; always use tools like a broom and dustpan or forceps to handle broken glass.
• Chemically-contaminated broken glass may be safer to dispose of solid chemical waste rather than attempting to clean broken glass pieces. 
• Biologically-contaminated broken glass can be placed in an autoclave tub or other autoclavable container (e.g., keeper boxes), autoclaved and then disposed of in a glass waste box. 
• Remove stuck on residues with an appropriate solvent (e.g., acetone, ethanol, water, etc.). Collect the solvent as chemical waste, drain, let dry and dispose of glass in a glass waste box.
• Soak intact glassware in a bleach solution for biological disinfection, drain, let dry and dispose of in a glass waste box.
• Empty glass chemical containers can be discarded in the municipal trash without the lid. Only P-listed chemical containers need to be collected by EHS as waste. 

Glass Waste Resources

Glass Use & Disposal SOP

Sharps Waste

Sharps are any metal object / device used to puncture or cut. Examples include any type of injection device and whatever is attached to it, razors, X-Acto knives, pointed scissors, scalpels, etc. Sharps must be disposed of in an appropriate sharps container. Chemical and BSL1 work areas may use and leak-proof, puncture-resistant plastic container (e.g., a rinsed laundry detergent container) labeled as "Sharps".

Dispose of sharps immediately after use. Locate sharps containers in the immediate work area to prevent traveling across the work area for disposal. Do not overfill containers. Most marked containers have a "Full" line. Submit a Biological Waste Request for EHS pick up. Containers must be completely secured prior to pick up.

 

Tips

• Never recap a needle so as to prevent accidental sticks.
• Use disposable sharps to avoid cleaning sharps or replacing blades.
• Needle caps and blunted needles are not sharps waste and can be thrown in the regular trash can to save space in your sharps container.
• Pipet tips used for chemical transfers are not biological waste nor sharps waste; they can be collected and thrown in the regular trash.

Sharps Waste Resources

Sharps Use & Disposal SOP

Biological Waste Pick Up Request

Chemical Waste

Chemical waste must be disposed of through EHS but work area personnel have many responsibilities to manage waste safely to prevent accidents. 

What Happens After EHS Takes My Waste?

Following the above guidelines not only protects the work area personnel but EHS personnel and the university's waste contractor as well. All containers collected on campus are bulked with like wastes for proper placarding and shipment. This is why it is so important that wastes are labeled properly and incompatibilities are not mixed. There are incidents of containers compromising during transport to the EHS Container Storage Area and to the third-party waste processing sites due to incompatible wastes being mixed. 

If you do ever catch a mistake that was made in waste accumulation, contact EHS immediately to remedy the situation. 

Chemical Waste Resources

Waste Determination Form

Waste Determination Instructions

Chemical Waste Management SOP

Chemical Waste Poster - 11" x 17"

Chemical Waste Pick Up Request

Biological Waste

Biological waste treatment and disposal depends on the state of the materials (liquids or solids). First, what is classified as biological waste? Biological waste includes: 

• animal waste (carcasses, body parts/fluids and bedding of animals intentionally exposed to potential pathogens)
• animal cell cultures
• human and non-human primate blood/body parts/cultures
• microbiological waste (cultures, stocks, specimens, transfer devices, etc.)
• pathological waste
• sharps as these terms are defined in 25 TAC §1.132
• any enriched sample/specimen
• samples/specimens that are reasonably considered to contain, have be purposefully exposed to or tested positive for a pathogen

No matter what materials are being treated, each treatment must be logged and the records maintained for three years. Treatment logs with all required information are listed in the Biological Waste Resources section at the end of this article.

Biological Waste Resources

Chemical Disinfection of Biological Waste

Chemical Disinfection Log - Liquids

Chemical Disinfection Log - Solids

Chemically Disinfecting Biowaste Poster - 11" x 17"

Autoclaving Biological Waste SOP

Autoclave Log

Autoclaving Biowaste Poster - 11" x 17"

EHS Biobarrel Preparation Poster - 11" x 17"

Conclusions

Waste accumulation can be one of the most hazardous operations on campus, but with mindful management, effective and clear communication between coworkers (including between waste generators inside the work area and between generators and EHS personnel), and adherence to the guidelines set forth by EHS, it can be handled efficiently and safely for all.

What About "Mixed Waste"?

If your research work will generate "mixed waste", which is any combination of chemical, biological or radioactive material waste, contact EHS prior to waste generation to identify proper handling.

Submit any questions regarding waste management to ehs.lab.safety@ttu.edu.