For further information, please contact Martina Lavin x2914 or m.lavin@unsw.edu.au

 

The waste contractor will pick up waste from the point of generation (normally the laboratory) or area where unwanted substances are stored. It is the responsibility of the generator of the waste to ensure that:

Waste chemicals are stored in appropriate containers. The chemical store in your area should be holding supplies of containers, alternatively contact Anton Vogels x2007 in the Faculty of Life Sciences store to order containers. You can order cubes for waste chemicals, closed buckets for broken glass and sharps containers

A chemical waste form must be submitted to the RMU.

1. Treatment and Disposal
All unwanted wastes containing live microorganisms shall be sterilized by autoclaving or treatment by a chemical disinfectant.

 

Prior to autoclaving, used plastics, Petri dishes, culture bottles and tubes shall be carefully placed in an open solid based container or in an autoclavable bag (not a wire basket). Ensure that wastes that melt during autoclaving do not block autoclave drain holes.

 

The autoclaved waste should then be placed in the normal yellow biowaste bins located throughout the school to await collection. These bins are regularly emptied and no forms are required for their removal under normal circumstances.

 

2. Clinical
Material such as gloves, tips, tubes and other disposables which are not contaminated by live microorganisms may be placed directly into plastic bags, sealed then put into the biowaste bins without the need for autoclaving.

 

Note:
If the waste contractor fails to pick up your waste it is normally because they had access difficulties (locked doors, nobody available etc.) or they ran out of space in their truck because of the large volume of waste. If this happens please contact RMU (x2914) who can arrange a priority pickup.

Glass

 

A general rule of thumb is that waste is considered to be radioactive if it has an activity level greater than 100 becquerels per gram of material.

 

Bob Armstrong (ext. 2912 or r.armstrong@unsw.edu.au ) should be contacted for advice regarding your radioactive waste disposal requirements.

 

1. Liquid
Radiation liquid waste should be kept for disposal in a container labelled ’Radioactive Waste’.
Labelling needs to include the following information:

Radioactive organic solvent waste and water solutions should also be kept separate even if they are of the same radioisotope.

 

Radioisotopes with short half-lives, e.g. P32, should be kept for a period of time depending on volume and activity until the radioisotopes have decayed to below EPA disposal levels. (See Waste Guidelines on the web page of the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority). This waste can then be disposed of as normal chemical waste.

 

Liquid scintillation vials and contents - may be disposed of together if the activity concentration is below 100 Bq per gm (2.7 µCi per kg). Keep this type of waste separate.
Place in a hazardous waste drum lined with a strong plastic bag.
Identify separately on the “Request for Chemical Waste” form.

 

2. Solids
Solid radioactive waste (pipette tips, lab. coats, gloves etc.) should be placed in a suitable container appropriate to the radioisotope (e.g. fibre drums - contact Bob Armstrong (phone ext. 2912 or r.armstrong@unsw.edu.au ). The drum should be lined with a thick strong plastic bag and labelled with radioactive signs and completed waste labels. The container can be used until full, at which time the Risk Management Unit can be notified to pick up the waste and transport it to the Universitys radiation store.

 

All requests for pick up of radioactive waste should be faxed to 9385 2365. The radioactive disposal request form can be downloaded PDF file.

 

The Radioactivity Decay Reckoner (http://www.riskman.unsw.edu.au/ohs/decay.htm) calculates when radioactive waste will decay to levels (determined by the EPA) which will allow its removal by contractors as chemical waste.