Hi Everyone--I would like to see a discussion on the different ways people
discard their staining solutions.  I know the MSDS usually states "in
accordance with State and Local laws" but getting that information is quite
an interesting problem.  Not only that but I'm sure that being the
inovative people that Histonetter are, there are as many different ways of
doing this as there are solutions to be discarded.

For instance:  Used Hematoxilyn--do you throw down drain?
               Used Eosin/Phloxine?

        	What do you do with a half filled bottle of Ammonia that is
to old
to be concentrated enough to use--Do you just use it for cleaning?  Do you
throw it full strenth down the drain--Phew!?

		Surely the different rinses from different stains need to
be collected
into separate containers, but how do you dispose of them after that?  I
have silver, mercury, and gold waste containers.  I know how to percipitate
the silver.  Can I do the same for mercury and gold?

	What do you do with the paraffin that is infiltrated with xylene?
Can it
be sent to the land fill?  I know of one lab that went to the trouble of
having the paraffin analyzed to see if it contained more than a certain
percentage of xylene (I believe it was 5%) and then if it didn't exceed
that amount could send it to land fill.  But what about the paraffin--it
doesn't biodegrade does it?

I'm sure there are many more fluids that we use every day that need to be
detoxified, percipitated and filtered that I haven't mentioned.

What I'm looking for are methods to decrease the volume of actual hazardous
waste that actually needs to be hauled away by a commercial waste hauler.

Also, how long can these solutions, percipitates etc. be safely kept in the
lab as storage before they must be hauled away.  I'm a very small lab in
the middle of Wyoming where costs for this type of transporting can be very
prohibitive.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.  I know this will be interesting.

Priscilla in Central Wyoming