Joanne - 

You need to check with your institution's Safety department - laws will
vary from place to place (even state to state in the US) as to how ANY
potentially hazardous materials may be disposed! That goes for glass
slides , chemicals, old equipment, etc. I realize that common sense ought
to play a part in this, but it doesn't always - for example: we say our
old slides aren't biohazards, there is no infectious material on them and
no radioactive incorporation, but the state of New York says they are
biohazards and must be disposed of in a certain way. I think PA isn't as
strict (if memory serves from my days in the 'burgh), but you need to
check with someone who is "up" on the laws in your locale. The fines can
be huge if you guess wrong!

Tamara Howard
CSHL

>Histonetters,
>I need to know how everyone disposes of their old histology glass slides.
>Are they handled as infectious waste, confidential materials or just
>thrown
>into the glass trash. We have close to 30 years of old research and
>clinical
>cases in storage and no space for the current stuff. And no hopes for
>additinal space elsewhere.
>
>Joanne C. Suder BA HT (ASCP)
Philadelphia, PA 19104