Soiled animal bedding generated from IACUC-approved research activities.

Soiled animal bedding that is non-infectious (Biosafety Level 1) should be double-bagged, knotted or taped closed, and placed in the designated waste bin to be disposed of via the regular trash. No bag should exceed 40 pounds.

Biosafety Level 2+ labs must dispose of all animal bedding waste as medical waste, with red bags and biohazard boxes. Biohazard boxes are picked up by EH&S at pre-arranged times and upon request.

Experimentally cultured stocks, plates, ethidium bromide gels, (non-sharps) materials contaminated with blood or other potentially infections materials, materials contaminated with human mutagens, teratogens, carcinogens, or federal listed select agents.

Place medical waste in red bags only. When full, close bags and place in cardboard medical waste box provided by EH&S. Contact EH&S to schedule pick-up. Prior to a scheduled medical waste pick-up, tape boxes shut.

Boxes must be under 40 pounds each. Boxes exceeding 40 pounds will not be picked up.

If material can be autoclaved or otherwise treated so that it no longer presents a biological hazard, it may be disposed of as regular waste.

Characteristic hazardous waste chemicals (flammable, reactive, corrosive, toxic), such as solvents, acids, bases, water/air sensitive materials, and heavy metals.

Collect waste in a chemically compatible container. Ensure that the waste container is labeled appropriately with an AU hazardous waste label. When full or more than 120 days have passed (whichever comes first), securely close the container and place it in the laboratory's designated waste storage area.

Substances and chemicals controlled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Controlled substances not dispensed and rendered irretrievable during the course of their useful life may be disposed of through Environmental Health and Safety. Contact the individual listed at the bottom of this page to schedule a controlled substance disposal.

Per DEA regulations, two employees of the registered license holder must be present to observe the handling of the controlled substance until it is rendered non-retrievable. Contact the EH&S office for more information on proper destruction and recordkeeping techniques.

Animal carcasses, tissues, and organs generated from IACUC-approved research activities.

Bag and store all animal carcasses in the designated freezer only.

Within 6 hours of a scheduled medical waste pick-up, pack bags in the biohazard boxes provided by EH&S and tape shut. Boxes must be under 40 pounds each. Boxes exceeding 40 pounds will not be picked up.

All waste containing materials that emit ionizing radiation.

No amount of radioactive material may be discharged into the sewage system (including all drains and toilets) or otherwise released into the environment.

Store in the restricted laboratory's waste accumulation area and segregate by the isotope's half-life.

For isotopes with half-lives less than 125 days, the Radiation Safety Officer will transfer waste to the decay-in-storage area at quarterly intervals and upon request.

Isotopes with half-lives greater than 125 days cannot decay in storage. The Radiation Safety Officer will transfer waste to the waste storage area on a quarterly basis and upon request.

Do not mix solid/dry waste products with liquid waste regardless of the isotopes involved.

Waste containers will be provided by the University's Environmental Health and Safety office or must meet the specifications set by the Radiation Safety Officer.

Any apparatus used in the laboratory for research purposes, such as liquid scintillation counters, gas chromatography instruments, refrigerators, incubators, and chemicals storage cabinets. This includes filters from biosafety cabinets, ductless fume hoods, air purifications units, etc.

Research equipment contaminated with any hazardous material must be decontaminated by a qualified individual prior to recycling or disposal. If the equipment cannot be decontaminated, it must be disposed of as the hazardous waste it contains.

Sharps and Glass Waste

Glass Waste: Broken Glass, sharp plastic, plate glass, and Pyrex must be disposed of in a cardboard glass waste box if not contaminated with an infectious agent. When full, close it securely and bring it to the designated waste accumulation area for pick-up.

Sharps Waste: Glass pipettes, needles, syringes, scalpel blades, razor blades, glass microscope slides, and coverslips must be disposed of in a sharps container. When a container is 3/4 full, close it and place it in a medical waste box provided by EH&S. Prior to the scheduled medical waste pick-up, tape the medical waste box closed. Sharps waste and other pathological waste must be in separate boxes and may not be mixed. No box may exceed 40 pounds.