Laboratory waste

Anatomical waste is recognisable parts or tissue.

1. Render non-infectious using an appropriate and approved method.

2. Place in yellow bag/red tag or yellow bin (red lid)/red tag.

3. Freeze waste prior to uplift or keep refrigerated ready for uplift.

4. Keep separate from animal by-product waste.

5. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

Animal tissue, blood and body fluid as well as small and medium carcasses.

1. Render non-infectious using an appropriate and approved method.

2. Place in yellow bag/red tag or yellow bin (red lid)/red tag.

3. Freeze waste prior to uplift or keep refrigerated ready for uplift.

4. Keep separate from anatomical waste.

5. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

1. Render non-infectious using an appropriate and approved method.

2. Place in yellow bag/yellow tag or yellow bin (yellow lid)/yellow tag.

3. Freeze waste prior to uplift or keep refrigerated ready for uplift.

4. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

There are two different routes of disposal depending on the animal origin: bedding from healthy animals or bedding from an experimental animal or an animal on treatment.

1. Bedding from healthy animals, not on treatment, can be placed in a black bag and disposed in external General Waste Bins.

2. Bedding from an experimental animal or from an animal on treatment must be placed in a yellow bag/yellow tag and disposed of as clinical and biological waste: place in Holding Location for uplift.

Glass from laboratories which cannot be recycled (glass with a high melting point) e.g. soda-lime glass, Pyrex, droppers, Pasteur pipes, etc. 

1. Remove lid.

2. Decontaminate and/or rinse glass.

3. Deface label.

4. Place in box marked 'Safe for Disposal'.

5. Contact Waste Office to arrange uplift. 

Any medicinal product or chemically contaminated biological waste that possesses defined hazardous properties. This may include drugs from a number of medicinal classes, for example antineoplastic agents, antivirals, immunosuppressants, a range of hormonal drugs and others.

1. Place in yellow bin (blue lid)/blue tag.
2. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

Any of the following: needles, scalpel blades, small pieces of glass (including glass slides) or syringe bodies (unused or fully discharged).

1. Infectious waste sharps: place in yellow bin (yellow lid)/yellow tag.
2. Cytotoxic/static waste sharps: place in yellow bin (purple lid)/yellow tag.
3. Anatomical/animal by-product waste sharps: place in yellow bin (red lid)/red tag.
4. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

Any medicinal product or chemically contaminated biological waste that possesses one or more of the hazardous properties toxic, carcinogenic, toxic for reproduction or mutagenic. This may include drugs from a number of medicinal classes, for example antineoplastic agents, antivirals, immunosuppressants, a range of hormonal drugs and others.

1. Use yellow bin (purple lid)/green tag.

2. Place in Holding Location for uplift.

Ethidium Bromide is mutagenic, and possible also carcinogenic and teratogenic. It is also highly toxic to the respiratory system, and irritating to the eyes, skin, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. 

1. Solutions of less than 0.1% - dispose as cytotoxic/static waste.

2. Gels or less than 0.1% - dispose as cytotoxic/static waste.

3. Powder and crystals - dispose as cytotoxic/static waste.

4. Solutions and gels of greater than 0.1% - dispose as cytotoxic/static waste.

5. Contaminated carbon filters and destaining bags - dispose as cytotoxic/static waste.

Includes all general from laboratories including gloves, wipes, lab plastics, etc. General laboratory waste which is, or may be contaminated must be treated to render it safe (using an appropriate method) prior to disposal. 

1. Rinse and render safe for disposal. 
2. Once treated, if it is no longer identifiable as laboratory waste, it may be appropriate to place it into black bags and disposed of as General Waste (grey lid). 
3. If the waste contains syringe bodies, blood soaked swabs or other offensive waste, it must be disposed of as laboratory waste via the authorised contractor. 

Filters are no longer collected by our clinical waste contractor and will now be collected by our chemical waste contractor.

1. Fumigate prior to removal from cabinet.
2. Fill in relevant section of the Hazardous Waste Collection Form, including the following information (including photographs if possible):
   1. Approximate dimensions
   2. Number of filters for collection 
   3. Construction material
   4. Approximate weight
   5. Any potential contaminants
3. Email form to Waste and Furniture Manangement who will organise collection with the licensed contractor.