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WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAM

River Campus Waste Pick Up Schedule

~The solid waste room is in the Medical Center B-5730

~Your ID is needed for access to the waste room (MC B-5730). Please contact Radiation Safety (x53781) with the first 5 digits of your social security number and Pi’s name so that we may add you to the list.
The following SOLID waste can be mixed:

*P32, P33 & CR51

*S35 & I125

*C14 & H3

*You do not have to separate glass & plastic.

~The following LIQUID waste can be mixed:

*All liquid can be put in one liquid container.

~The following VIALS can be mixed:

*All vials can be put in the blue double bagged drums.

Special Note: Be sure all RAD labels are removed.

Guide to Radioactive Waste Management, REV 3

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ABOUT RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL

What is waste?
Any material which has any radioactive contamination is considered to be radioactive waste. This includes gloves, bench coverings, disposable lab wear, and scintillation vials. This does not include general lab waste, packing materials, and bottles.

Waste Forms
Forms for labeling radioactive waste for disposal are available at no charge from the Radiation Safety Office. All radioactive waste must have one of these three copy forms giving the RS#, date, isotope, activity in microcuries or millicuries for each isotope, name and lab number. List all chemicals that may be in the waste (i.e. Chloroform, etc.). Care should be taken in attaching these forms so that the top two copies may be torn off easily by Radiation Safety.

Where to record waste?
All waste disposals must be recorded in the radioisotope log book.

Where to bring waste?
Bring all radioactive waste, except 5 gallon liquid carboys, to B-5730. Your ID is needed for access to the waste room (MC B-5730). Please contact Radiation Safety (x53781) with the first 5 digits of your social security number and Pi’s name so that we may add you to the list. Never leave the waste outside the door. Empty waste containers may be picked up in B-5730.

Types of waste

  1. Animal Carcasses or Tissues: Each animal is double plastic bagged with a waste form attached (for small animal carcasses that contain the same isotope and activity, bag each animal individually, but place only one waste form on the larger bag containing the small bags. This form should indicate the number of animals and the activity per animal as well as the total activity). Tissues may be packaged in small bags.
  2. Short Half-life: For isotopes with a half-life of < 90 days. Waste should be segregated into the following groups based on half life: < 30 days (P-32, P-33, Cr-51, I-131); 30-50 days (Fe-59); > 50 days (I-125, S-35). All wastes except organic liquids (toluene, xylene, etc.) and biological tissues may be placed in the boxes provided by Radiation Safety. Plastic, glass, paper, gloves, and sealed vials of aqueous liquids may all go into one box. Limited quantities (<1 gallon) of aqueous type waste is also acceptable. Deface or cover all radioactive material labels before discarding.
  3. Other: All other longer half-life wastes must be separated into the following categories in the boxes 5 gallon jugs provided by Radiation Safety.
  4. Liquid: 5 gallon containers are available from Radiation Safety. Liquid containers must be placed in a secondary container such as a 10 gallon garbage can. There are two ways to request a liquid waste pick-up: (1) Call x53781; or (2) make a request via email. Before making a request attach a waste form to the lid of the liquid container. The activity in the bottle must be known and should agree with the radioisotope log book. A list of additional chemicals and their concentrations must also be attached to the lid. High activity, small volume liquids are accepted in 1 gallon containers.
  5. Scintillation vials: All vials (glass or plastic - including Nalge Filmware) must be kept separate from all other types of waste. Place in blue fiber drum, secure lid with clamp, and attach waste form to the lid. For further information on our Liquid Scintillation Policy, check with Radiation Safety.
  6. Hazardous Waste: Waste that is also "Hazardous Waste" as defined by EPA may not be placed in a radioactive waste container. For example, lead pigs must be kept separate and brought down to the Radiation Safety waste lab for disposal. Check with the Hazardous Waste Management Unit (extension 5-2056) for information on hazardous waste.
  7. Sharps: All potentially contaminated sharps (i.e. scalpel blades, needles, syringes, etc) must be collected in a separate suitable container such as a sharps container. When the container is full, it should be securely sealed with masking tape and clearly marked as "sharps" on the outside. For further information, check with Radiation Safety.

 


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