Jan. 2015 LABORATORY WASTE MANAGEMENT Virginia Tech Environmental Health & Safety
Type of Waste: / Examples: / Collect / In: / Containers Provided by: / Disposal Steps:
SOLID BIOWASTE
Biosafety Level 1 /
  • gloves
  • paper towels
  • bacteria/fungi on solid media
  • tissue culture plates
  • vials, tubes
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO CHEMICALS
/ Clear autoclave bags (NOsymbol)
/ Bags must be inside “Solid Biowaste BSL1” lidded cans. / Bags: PI lab
Waste cans: EHS can supply an initial receptacle on a limited basis; PI lab supplies additional receptacles.
Nalgene pans: PI lab or department / 1. Autoclave in Nalgene pan using designated WASTE cycle.
2. Disposal: Reg. Trash WITH BLACK LINER orRMW.


SOLID BIOWASTE
Biosafety Level 2 /
  • gloves
  • paper towels
  • bacteria/fungi on solid media
  • tissue culture plates
  • vials, tubes
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO CHEMICALS
/ Orange autoclave bags WITHbiohazard
symbol
/ Bags must be inside red “SolidBiowaste BSL2” lidded cans.
/ Bags: PI lab
Waste cans: EHS can supply an initial receptacle on a limited basis; PI lab supplies additional receptacles.
Nalgene pans: PI lab or department / 1. Autoclave in Nalgene pan using designated WASTE cycle.
2. Dispose inRegulated Medical Waste (RMW).
3. To schedule RMW pickup by EHS, go to:

LIQUID BIOWASTE
Biosafety Level 1
Biosafety Level 2 /
  • used tissue culture media
  • broth for bacterial culture
  • biological fluids
  • bio-liquid extracts
  • bio-supernatants
  • NO CHEMICALS
/ Glass or
autoclavable
plastic containers
with vented closures / / Containers: PI lab
Nalgene pans: PI lab or
department / 1. Autoclave in Nalgene pan on LIQUID cycle, OR:
  • Add undiluted household bleach to 1:5 final
vol/vol concentration & wait 20 min. OR
  • Add other appropriate disinfectant to
propervol/vol concentration.
2. Pour down drain after time for disinfection.

CONTAMINATEDSHARPS
Biosafety Level 1
Biosafety Level 2 /
  • pipette tips
  • wood sticks
  • needles, syringes
  • scalpels
  • razor blades
  • glass slides
  • cover slips
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO CHEMICALS
/ Red Sharps containers with lids (several sizes available)
/ / EHS; use online request system for Sharps & RMW supplies. / 1. Autoclave on solid WASTE cycle.
2. Dispose in Regulated Medical Waste.
3. To schedule RMW pickup by EHS, go to:

GLASS WASTE
Uncontaminated /
  • UNCONTAMINATEDBroken glass ONLY
  • NO LIQUID CONTENTS
/
  • Glass disposal box
  • Line box with CLEAR plastic bag
/ / Glass Disposal Boxes & plastic bag liners: PI lab /
  • GLASSWARE DISPOSED OF IN THIS STREAM CANNOT BE CONTAMINATED WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIAL-- Noradioactive (any amount),no biological (any amount), no chemical (more than a trace amount—if unsure, discard in Chem Sharps waste).
  • When box is full, close & tape securely. Take taped box to dumpster for disposal.

GLASS WASTE
Contaminated /
  • beakers, flasks
  • glass pipettes
  • bottles, tubes
/ Sharps containers in appropriate waste stream / Sharps containers: EHS /
  • Contact EHS if you have further questions:

SOLID WASTEContaminated with Hazardous Chemicals
(including nanoparticles) /
  • gloves
  • paper towels
  • bleach-soaked items
  • vials, tubes
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO BIOWASTE
/ Blue bags
/
  • Bags should be inside “Chemical Hazardous Waste” lidded cans
/ Bags: EHS
Lidded cans: EHS
Pans (secondary containers): PI lab /
  1. Fill out the online Chemical Waste Pickup form through The EHS Safety Management System for research laboratories, or by using this link:


  1. Print out a copy of this form & attach it to waste.
3. Store waste in safe place in appropriate
secondarycontainer until pickup. Allow 2
weeksfor pickup.

Questions? Contact EHS
SHARPS
ChemicallyContaminated
(including nanoparticles) /
  • syringes/needles
  • blades/scalpels
  • pipette tips
  • glass slides/slips
  • glass pipettes
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO BIOWASTE
/
  • Labeled, clear rigid jars + lids
  • DO NOT COLLECT SHARPS ON THIS LIST IN BLUE BAGS DUE TO PUNCTURE POTENTIAL
/ / Small clear jars suitable for bench: EHS
  • pipette tips
  • serol.pipettes
  • NO SHARPS FROM ABOVE LIST
  • NO LIQUIDS
  • NO BIOWASTE
/
  • Clear jars (as above) for small volumes of tips
  • Blue bags inside lidded can for large volumes of tips & serological pipettes
/ / Bags : EHS
Lidded cans: EHS
LIQUID WASTEContaminated with Hazardous Chemicals
(including nanoparticles) /
  • ethidium bromide
solutions
  • compatible solvents
  • stains
  • NO BIOWASTE
/
  • Leak-proof, lidded containers:
-- 5 gal carboys
-- Empty solventbottles*
withoriginal label defaced; relabel‘Haz. Waste’ & include specific contents + proper hazard warning. No need to rinse if dry. / Keep lids on liquid waste containers.

/ 5 GAL carboys: EHS
Recycled bottles: PI lab
  1. Use empty chemical bottles for collecting like-waste.
  1. Mixed liq. waste: Use empty solvent bottles*--acetonitrile, methanol, isopropanol, acetone, ethanol, hexane, cyclohexane, chloroform

EMPTY CHEMICAL CONTAINERS /
  • Empty metal cans
  • Empty plastic/glass bottles
/ CONTAINERS OF ACCUTELY HAZ. WASTE (“P LIST” CHEMICALS, STRONG OXIDIZERS, AGGRESSIVE ACIDS/BASES, ETC.) --- SUBMIT A HAZ. WASTE FORM FOR EHS PICKUP. /
  • Contact EHS if you have further questions:

Containers of less hazardous chemicals --- deface labels, place in cardboard carton,close & tape carton securely; take taped carton to dumpster for disposal.
WHEN WASTE HAS BOTH CHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS, CONTACT E.H.S. FOR ASSISTANCE: