Hazardous Waste Minimization Options for Laboratories

Substitution of Non-hazardous for Hazardous

  • Reduce or eliminate the use of highly toxic chemicals in laboratory experiments.
     
  • Use citrus-based solvents instead of xylene.
     
  • Use biodegradable aqueous or detergent cleaners instead of chemical cleaners.
     
  • Seek alternatives to phenol extractions.
     
  • Review the use of highly toxic, carcinogenic, reactive, or mutagenic materials to determine if safer alternatives are feasible.
     
  • Consider using computer simulation/modeling to replace wet chemistry.

Reduction

  • Be as efficient as possible when ordering chemicals for lab use. Order and stock chemicals in amounts determined necessary to perform the experiment/research.
     
  • Only mix what is needed.
     
  • Rotate chemical stock.
     
  • Scale down experiments and procedures by using smaller lab ware and chemical quantities.
     
  • Increase use of instrumentation that requires less reagents or smaller or fewer samples.
     
  • Include in the experiment plan the reaction work-up steps that deactivate hazardous materials or reduce toxicity.
     
  • Complete reactions to eliminate hazardous waste.
     
  • Use less solvent to rinse equipment. For example, rinse several times with small volumes of solvent, rather than using only one or two rinses with larger volumes.
     
  • Review procedures periodically to determine if quantities of chemicals and/or chemical waste could be reduced.
     
  • Develop experiments in teaching labs that can use the same waste containers from week to week or that use less and fewer chemicals while still relaying concepts to the class.
     
  • When preparing a new protocol, consider the kinds and amounts of waste products and see how they can be reduced or eliminated.

Segregation
Keep individual hazardous waste streams segregated: segregate hazardous from non-hazardous, segregate recyclable waste from non-recyclable waste.

Reuse/Recycle
  • Develop a running inventory of unused chemicals for use by other departments.
     
  • Reuse/recycle spent solvents.
     
  • When solvent is used for cleaning purposes, use spent solvent for initial cleaning and fresh solvent for final cleaning.
     
  • Reuse hexane (or other solvent) after rotary evaporation.
   
UNE Activities
     

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