Waste Handling, Decontamination/Disinfection, and Disposal
D. Contaminated Waste
2. Plastic Ware
i. Sealable Items. (tissue culture flasks, centrifuge tubes, etc.)
Items such as these that have contained infectious material should be emptied of all liquid (see Section 11C1), closed tightly, and then placed inside the large red-bag-lined autoclavable biohazardous waste buckets found next to the biosafety cabinet.
ii. Large Non-sealable Items. (pipettes, multi well tissue culture plates, etc.)
Pipettes should be rinsed with the active Virkon solution in the screw-top 2 liter bottles before being placed in the red-bag-lined plastic pipette can inside the biosafety cabinet. Multi well plates should be aspirated of liquid waste by using a pipette or vacuum aspirator, sprayed with active Virkon solution, closed, and then placed in the red-bag-lined plastic pipette can inside the biosafety cabinet. These bags are then to be sealed at the end of the work session and placed into the large red-bag-lined autoclavable biohazardous waste buckets.
iii. Small Non-sealable Items. (pipette tips, cryovials, microfuge tubes)
These are to be placed directly into the active Virkon solution inside the 2 litre bottles. The 2 litre bottles are then sealed by the user at the end of the work session, removed from the biosafety cabinet, and placed in the sink area for at least 20 minutes. The liquid inside the bottles should then be disposed of down the sink with plenty of water and the small items can be tossed into the large red-bag-lined autoclavable biohazardous waste buckets.
The Wistar Institute
Biosaftey Level 3 Laboratory Code of Practice