What Constitutes Liquid Waste?
As a reminder, there should be nothing solid in wastes demarcated as “liquid.” Though it seems obvious, we have had problems with items like pipette tips and eppendorf tubes being present in liquid waste. Solids cannot be mixed in with liquid waste for two reasons. First, we pour smaller bottles of liquid waste into 5-gallon containers for storage for decay. Pipette tips in the smaller waste bottles make spillage during the transfer much more likely. Secondly, after the waste has sufficiently decayed, it can be poured down the sanitary sewer. However, even if we do manage to pour eppendorf tubes into the 5-gallon storage containers, we definitely cannot manage to pour them down the sink. The sinks, as can be expected, get clogged by these and other small items. Therefore, please be sure that nothing else is present in your liquid waste except liquid. If you have further questions on this or other disposal issues, call Radiation Safety at x2906. Radiation Survey Documentation: What is N
