Waste Management

HEALTH & SAFETY @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Welcome to an on-line
health and safety training
package intended for staff
and students working within
UofE buildings on the
Edinburgh bioQuarter
campus
Information contained within these pages is intended for use by
University of Edinburgh staff and students only.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
This on-line training package is

intended principally for laboratory-
based workers, but is not a
substitute for more in-depth
training which may be organised by
laboratory managers.
CM&VM @ EbQ Last updated: June, 2021

WASTE MANAGEMENT
Please take time to view the following

material, and direct any urgent
questions to the H&S Advisor or
Waste Management Advisor for your
laboratory, your Laboratory
Manager, or the H&S Manager for
CM&VM buildings on the EbQ
campus (the contact details for whom
are shown on the last page of this
presentation).
CM&VM @ EbQ Thank you
WASTE MANAGEMENT
The nature of work undertaken within

laboratories on this site results in
generation of several quite different
types of waste.
Some waste materials have the potential
to be harmful if they are not contained,
stored and handled correctly.
That’s why all laboratory waste, no
matter how innocuous it may seem to
be, must be managed with care.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
There are also numerous laws and

regulations governing waste disposal,
with which we Must fully comply.
The ways in which we manage and
dispose of the waste that we generate
on this campus are monitored by the
Scottish Environment Protection
Agency (SEPA), and penalties for
non-compliance may be considerable.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste generated on this campus may be

any one or more of the following:
Clinical waste
•
Non-clinical laboratory waste

•
Radioactive waste
•
Special waste (such as cytotoxic chemicals)

•
•Non-hazardous domestic waste (such as waste

paper, packaging etc, some of which may be
recyclable, but may also include confidential
documents).
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Further information regarding the

correct procedures to be used for the
management of each type of waste is
dealt with in training sessions
delivered by the H&S Manager
and/or the University’s Waste
Manager.
But, in summary …
WASTE MANAGEMENT
General Laboratory and Office Waste

(“Black Bag Waste”)
 Uncontaminated paper, hand towels,
cardboard, packing materials, etc.
Uncontaminated empty plastic bottles (after
washing or rinsing and removing or
obscuring hazard warning labels) and
uncontaminated plastic containers.
 No offensive waste (items that are
readily identifiable as originating in a
laboratory), no gloves, no laboratory
consumables, no pipettes, no gels, no blots,
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Clinical and Biological Waste

(For Heat Treatment – “Orange Bag Waste”)
 All non-infectious and autoclaved
disposable gloves, potentially contaminated
paper towels, Eppendorf tubes, pipettes,
pipette tips, plastic-ware, syringe bodies (No
needles!), gels containing ethidium bromide
(with a concentration <0.1%). All plastic-
ware from tissue culture rooms (except GM
contaminated waste).
 No glass or sharps.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Clinical and Biological Waste

(For Incineration – “Yellow Bag Waste”)
All non-infectious and autoclaved tissue,

organs, blood, etc. See also all relevant local
rules.
 No glass or sharps. No GM waste.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Radioactive Waste
 Very low level radioactive waste as defined
in the University’s guidance note GN009
(Disposal of Radioactive Waste) at
http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk/resources/
Radiation/GN009.shtm
Seek advice from your laboratory’s Radiation
Protection Supervisor, and see also all
relevant local rules.
Arrangements for disposal of radioactive waste at higher
levels must be made in consultation with the
University’s Radiation Protection Adviser.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
GM Waste
 GM contaminated tissue culture plates,
pipettes etc must either be autoclaved or
chemically disinfected by soaking in 1% w/v
Virkon, or 1,000 ppm Presept (four 0.5g
tablets dissolved into one litre of water) for at
least two hours before discharging any excess
liquid via drains. See also all relevant local
rules.
 No glass or sharps.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Sharps
 Sharps, including needles, scalpel blades,
small pieces of broken glass, glass Pasteur
pipettes, etc.
 Never overfill a sharps container … Stop
depositing stuff in sharps bins when they’re
already two thirds full, and never attempt to
compress sharps waste within a container by
pressing down on it with your hands
(Remarkably, some people have been spotted
doing just that!).
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Cytotoxic Waste
All categories of biological waste containing
or contaminated with cytotoxic substances
(toxic, carcinogenic, toxic for reproduction,
or mutagenic) above published hazardous
thresholds (e.g. ethidium bromide at
concentrations ≥0.1%).
Seek advice from your laboratory’s Waste
Management Adviser.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Chemical Waste
See material safety data sheets, COSHH
risk assessments, safe systems of work,
Section 18 of the Safety Manual and
seek advice from your laboratory’s
Waste Management Advisor.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Confidential Waste
See Paragraph 18.9.1 of Section
18 of the Safety Manual for
further information regarding
disposal of confidential waste.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Other Waste
Refer to your laboratory’s Waste
Management Adviser also in respect of
correct procedures for disposal of glass,
batteries, aerosol canisters, plastic
bottles, drinks cans and other recyclable
food containers.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
If in doubt …
•
Do not (NEVER EVER) take a
gamble on which type of bag or bin to
use for disposal of laboratory waste. If
you are wrong, we could all end up in
a whole heap of trouble.
• If you don’t know for sure, always
(ALWAYS) refer to your laboratory’s

Waste Management Adviser before
committing waste to a bin or bag.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
For example …
WASTE MANAGEMENT
No Nyet
Nein Ei
Non Iie
Não Lo
Nee Ni
Nej Nogat
Siyo Tidak
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Yes Hai
Ja Jes
Oui Kylaä
Si Ya
Ken Sim
Ndiyo Da
Bai Sea
or
WASTE MANAGEMENT
The fact that we go further that the

regulations strictly demand with
regard to disposal of uncontaminated
glove material is because we
acknowledge that cleaners (who
manage our black bag waste stream)
simply cannot know if gloves found in
black bins and bags are contaminated
or not, and they MUST NOT be put in
the position of being concerned for
their safety.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Spill Response
If you discover spilled waste …

DON’T PANIC!
The following steps are intended to
help you cope in a sensible,
organised and safe manner.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Small-scale spills can usually be

managed by the application of sound
common sense.
But where the spillage is clearly
hazardous, or has affected a
substantial area, your lab’s
Contingency Plan should be
implemented.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
First, ask yourself …
1. Am I safe?
2. Who else may be at risk, and how can
I let them know?
3. What does the Contingency Plan say
that I should do?
4. What help and tools do I need?
5. (Later) What can be learned from this?
WASTE MANAGEMENT
In case of emergency …
1. Evacuate and isolate the area.

2. Summon competent assistance.
3. Identify the chemicals spilled, and
assess the hazards created.
4. Deploy spill management resources.
5. Make safe and dispose of spilled
chemicals.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Further guidance regarding spill

management is provided in a
separate on-line training package,
access to which can be obtained
through the same route as you
gained access to this package, or
you may prefer to attend one of the
formal training sessions which are
freely and regularly available on
the campus.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Further Information
Details of waste management

procedures for all areas of University
buildings on the EbQ campus are set
out in Sections 18 and 19 of the
Safety Manual at
https://www.ed.ac.uk/medicine-vet-
medicine/staff-and-current-
students/cmvm-health-and-
safety/edinburgh-bioquarter/manual
WASTE MANAGEMENT
If you
click here …
CM&VM @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
If you
scroll here …
CM&VM @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
If you
click here …
CM&VM @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
If you
scroll
here …
CM&VM @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
CM&VM @ EbQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Biological Waste
Specialist advice may be

obtained from the University’s
Biological Safety Adviser, on
651 4245 or email:
Biosafety@ed.ac.uk
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Radioactive Waste
Specialist advice may be obtained

from the University’s Radiation
Protection Adviser, on 650 2818
or email: Radiation@ed.ac.uk
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Further Information
Finally, if in any doubt, at any stage,

on any matters related to the correct
disposal of laboratory waste, contact
the Waste manager for your floor of
the building within which you work,
or the University’s Waste Manager
on 0131 651 4287 or email:
Waste@ed.ac.uk
WASTE MANAGEMENT
You have now completed this

on-line training package
summarising key aspects of waste
management arrangements for the
Edinburgh bioQuarter campus.
Please also attend any additional
training that may be organised by
your laboratory manager.
CM&VM @ EbQ Thank you
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Lindsay Murray
Health & Safety Manager,
The University of Edinburgh,
College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine
(Edinburgh bioQuarter Campus)
Room SU225, Chancellor’s Building

Ext: 26390
lgm@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
CM&VM @ EbQ

Waste Management

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HEALTH & SAFETY @ EbQ

This on-line training package is

CM&VM @ EbQ Last updated: June, 2021

Please take time to view the following

The nature of work undertaken within

There are also numerous laws and

Waste generated on this campus may be

Non-clinical laboratory waste

Special waste (such as cytotoxic chemicals)

•Non-hazardous domestic waste (such as waste

Further information regarding the

General Laboratory and Office Waste

Clinical and Biological Waste

Clinical and Biological Waste

All non-infectious and autoclaved tissue,

(ALWAYS) refer to your laboratory’s

The fact that we go further that the

If you discover spilled waste …

Small-scale spills can usually be

First, ask yourself …

1. Evacuate and isolate the area.

Further guidance regarding spill

Details of waste management

Specialist advice may be

Specialist advice may be obtained

Finally, if in any doubt, at any stage,

You have now completed this

Room SU225, Chancellor’s Building

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