[Histonet] Disposal of paraffin blocks

[Hugh Luk]

Joyce,
 
We checked with our state DOH, and they advised us to burn or "Landfill" the tissue blocks.  I clogged one of the hospital boiler room furnaces with wax.  My name was "Mudd" for quite a while!  
 
The DOH then noticed that every hospital was in the middle of densely populated areas; and shut every single furnace down.  
 
As a community, we then made a "Discard Tissue Repository" thru the local university-research group.  Our local arrangements are: the research group de-identifies the old blocks and the research group buys new cabinets for the participating hospitals.
 
Yes, this is harder than it sounds, and there is a NCI/SEER grant involved, but as a resource tool, it is outstanding. 
 
Hugh Luk
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii
(but also a hospital employee as a 2nd job)
> From: jcline <@t> wchsys.org> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:26:11 -0500> Subject: [Histonet] Disposal of paraffin blocks> > How are clinical labs disposing of their paraffin blocks? Regular trash,> incinerated trash or some medical waste company? We have several years> to get rid of and our boiler room won't let me send them down to be> incinerated.> > > ***** CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE *****> This message contains confidential information and is intended only for> the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not> disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender> immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and> delete this e-mail from your system.> > _______________________________________________> Histonet mailing list> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
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