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How to Dispose of Plastic Tissue-Culture Pipettes
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Summary: Plastic tissue-culture pipettes must be disposed of in rigid, puncture- and leak-proof containers. Follow these guidelines to store and dispose of pipettes. Select a category depending on type of contamination: |
| What to do |
How to do it |
| 1 |
Used but not contaminated with hazardous material: Follow these steps. |
- Select an acceptable container:
- The pipettes' original box with a clear plastic bag placed inside.
- Any other rigid, puncture-proof container
- Label the container "Non-hazardous."
- Dispose of the container.
- If you used the original box, tie the liner bag and tape the box closed.
- If you stored the pipettes in a storage container, close and seal the container.
- Place the sealed box or container into a regular laboratory trash can.
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| 2 |
Chemical or radioactive contamination: Follow these steps. |
- Select an acceptable storage container: Options for pipettes contaminated with hazardous materials include:
- The original pipette box with a plastic bag placed inside
- A sharps storage container, available in 2 sizes from Marketplace Preview:
- Recycled rigid plastic roller bottles
- Label the storage container:
- Dispose of contaminated pipettes:
- If you stored the pipettes inside a plastic bag in their original box, tightly tie the bag closed.
- Do not tape the bag or box closed. Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) waste technicians must visually inspect the bags before collection.
- Request a hazardous waste collection.
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| 3 |
Contaminated with biohazard materials (no chemical or radioactive materials): Follow these steps.
Option 1: BIOHAZARD container
International biohazard symbol
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- 2 options are available for disposing of pipettes contaminated with biohazards:
- Option 1: (available on the main campus and SIO)
- Place the used pipettes in a BIOHAZARD container that has been lined with 2 labeled, red biohazard bags.
- Note: Marketplace Preview sells bags preprinted with UCSD identification labels in three different sizes.
- Label the red bags (if they are not preprinted) with the following information on the outside as soon as you add the first contaminated pipette:
- "Biohazard"
- The international biohazard symbol
- UCSD address and phone number:
- University of California, San Diego (or UCSD)
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093
(858) 534-3660 or (858) 534-4357
OR
- UCSD Medical Center
200 West Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 543-6222
- Building name and room number where the waste was generated
- Tie or secure the two liner bags closed when full and wheel the BIOHAZARD container to the biohazard waste consolidation area for your floor or building to be collected by EH&S.
- Get a replacement container at the consolidation area.
- Request additional BIOHAZARD containers from EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753.
- Option 2:
- Select an acceptable storage container. Options for pipettes contaminated with biohazard materials include:
- The pipettes' original box with a labeled, red plastic bag placed inside.
- Note: Marketplace Preview sells bags preprinted with UCSD identification labels in 3 different sizes.
- A sharps storage container, available in two sizes from Marketplace Preview:
- Recycled rigid plastic roller bottles
- Label the red bag or sharps container (if they are not preprinted) with the following information as soon as you add the first contaminated pipette:
- "Biohazard"
- The international biohazard symbol
- UCSD address and phone number:
- University of California, San Diego (or UCSD)
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093
(858) 534-3660 or (858) 534-4357
OR
- UCSD Medical Center
200 West Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 543-6222
- Building name and room number where the waste was generated
- Autoclave and dispose of the container:
- Read Autoclave Guidelines for Biohazard Waste for detailed instructions for both bagged waste and sharps containers.
- If you stored the pipettes in a red plastic bag inside their original box, follow these steps:
- Place the box inside a second labeled red biohazard bag.
- Tie the bag loosely prior to autoclaving the waste.
- Tie the bag tightly after autoclaving to prevent leakage.
- If you used a plastic sharps container, snap the lid shut prior to autoclaving.
- Dispose of the autoclaved bag or sharps container in a locked waste dumpster. Your laboratory manager will give you the lock combination.
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| 4 |
Contaminated with mixed hazardous material: Follow this step. |
- Contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility for specific disposal instructions when pipettes are contaminated with multiple categories of hazardous materials (biological, radioactive, or chemical).
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If you are a UCSD employee and have questions, contact EH&S Biosafety, (858) 534-5366. |
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Notice: Disposal of hazardous waste using sinks, intentional evaporation, or as regular trash is against the law. Campus laboratories must abide by strict state and federal waste disposal requirements. You may be held liable for violations of applicable laws.
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