More on Re: [Histonet] RE: DAB disposal

Tue Jun 13 11:15:06 CDT 2006

There has already been a great deal of discussion about this problem, and 
specific guidelines are often in place and implemented, even in remote 
areas and for small(or large) laboratories.  Have you done a Histonet 
Archive search on messages concerning this issue, it is there and been 
going on for a LONG time - well over 10 years or more - this is not a new 
issue.  Our laboratory has been well aware of DAB treatment for disposal 
and did it for a time, but opted NOT to do it long before we were required 
by regulation to cease but collect.    This treatment never addressed the 
by product issue i.e. what happens to the DAB after chemical 
treatment.  Are the byproducts going to be just as bad or worse?

If a laboratory can afford any kind of expensive immunostaining instrument 
such you sell, or even if they do manual IHC or other routine stains, then 
they should be able to afford collection/disposal services or seek such a 
service.

We are a very small user of these compounds you mention i.e DAB, silver, 
any heavy metal compounds (chromic acid) even if only 25 mls of the stuff - 
it is collected for disposal.  Solvents never go down the drain.  As for 
bleaches, detergents, and disinfectants,  wastewater plants do allow 
certain things but these are also common to households, not just 
laboratories.

As far as I am concerned and there are a lot of others who might 
agree,  ALL labs, no matter if they are the "little guy" need to address 
and implement chemical waste collection and disposal.    The only time this 
could change is an exemption in a locale but laboratories need to find out 
if an exemption is in place before the dumping.  Once again, users beware - 
check out what is allowed for your area.

  I'm curious - you never said if this is your company's stand for DAB 
disposal or if it is just your comment.  Does Ventana advise/tell people to 
treat their DAB wastes for drain dumping?  It certainly would not be a good 
policy to do so and does not encourage people to be responsible for their 
chemical usage.

I liked the idea of one lady's  suggestion to use TBS DAB-Out, maybe that 
is an answer and I compliment her on her seeking a solution to the problem.

Gayle Callis HTL, HT, MT(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717

  At 02:57 AM 6/13/2006, you wrote:

>Hi,
>I agree, there are obviously limitations as to what should be thrown down 
>the sink, but not all labs have methods of disposal such as companies to 
>remove and dispose of. Or the money to invest in dab removal systems.
>I have worked as a BMS in a number of labs, and I certainly do not know of 
>many labs who can capture and contain all their waste formalin whilst 
>doing grossing/cut up, contain the waste whilst performing special stains, 
>what happens to the xylene, alcohol, silver, and even the dab, peroxide 
>etc waste gathered whilst doing immuno manually? How about some of the 
>bleaches and detergents used to clean labs, and the disinfectants used as 
>infection control? The list goes on.......
>
>The method I mentioned as far as I know has been used by a number of labs 
>for a long time, not just specifically Ventana. Joe you mentioned you had 
>used it, but perhaps in larger quantities.
>
>In a perfect, ideal, environmentally friendly world, we would  not have 
>solvents etc, but we don't, and finding companies to remove lab waste who 
>do not charge high premiums that NHS labs, can afford is difficult.
>
>Certainly a discussion that needs to be addressed with regulations and 
>specific guidelines put firmly in place.
>
>Regards
>Emma
>
>
>F-----Original Message-----rom: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
>[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of 
>histonet-request <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 7:23 PM
>To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Subject: Histonet Digest, Vol 31, Issue 18[Scanned]
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>Message: 3
>Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 10:24:36 -0700 (PDT)
>From: heidi gordon <heidgordon <@t> yahoo.com>
>Subject: [Histonet] formalin disposal
>To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Message-ID: <20060612172436.91656.qmail <@t> web30715.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
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>I work at a facility that processes its own tissue.
>We keep the tissue blocks in a bucket of formalin
>until it is put on the processor at the end of the
>day.  I have been disposing of it at the end of each
>day.  I am wondering how often most facilities dispose
>of this formalin. Everyday?  When it looks dirty?
>
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>Emma,
>
>Is this what Ventana advises?  Labs should check with their local waste
>water treatment plant before TREATING anything or putting "diluted" DAB
>down the drain. If laboratories are generating this kind of waste on a
>weekly basis, this adds up over time. In general, waste water plants do not
>like this and EPA does monitor water around here.  Montana has discharge
>rules (maybe for larger industries) but our city does not want medicines,
>household cleaners, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, etc, flushed
>down the drains and warn residents frequently about this in their water bills.
>
>Wouldn't it be better to collect and have it hauled away for proper
>chemical disposal than add even "minute" amounts of a potential carcinogen
>to our water supply.  We use very little  DAB in our lab, but all
>chromogens AEC, DAB, permanent red, etc, (very low volume usage) are
>collected for chemical waste pickup and proper disposal.
>
>An interesting sidelight, tested water wells in parts of Montana now have
>traces of sunscreen chemical, medicines, herbicides,   nitrates and
>nitrites.  So much for the "pristine"  environment and pure water out in
>the Wild Wild West /Rocky Mountain region.   Drink beer and brush you teeth
>with it too,  it may be safer when you visit some Montana dude ranch!
>
>Gayle Callis HTL, HT, MT(ASCP)
>Research Histopathology Supervisor
>Veterinary Molecular Biology
>Montana State University
>Bozeman MT 59717
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Message: 1
>
>Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2006 12:29:00 -0500
>
>From: jhaviland <@t> mdanderson.org
>
>Subject: [Histonet] Vectastain elite kits
>
>To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>
>Message-ID
>
>
>
>Dear Histonetters:
>
>I have the Dako unit.  It separates the hazardous/non-hazardous 
>waste.  The DAB goes into a 20L carboy that is then hauled off-site for 
>disposal.
>
>
>Tom McNemar, HT(ASCP)
>Histology Co-ordinator
>Licking Memorial Health Systems
>(740) 348-4163
>(740) 348-4166
>tmcnemar <@t> lmhealth.org
>www.LMHealth.org
>
>
>
>Hi Tom
>Today we became proud owners of a brand new Dako unit and I had that
>exact thought in mind - what to do with a 20 litre bottle of
>dab-contaminated waste....every couple of weeks - here in the UAE we
>have little choice as there are no federal laws and no off-site waste
>companies to cart waste off even for a fee.
>I am stuck until someone in authority writes the book of rules.
>I just know that one of you will go 'gasp!shock!horror'! and insist that
>I be pro-active - I am - some of you know me to be 'tenacious' - this is
>correct - but even that has not helped me here. Advice has been offered,
>best practice quoted, OH&S quoted, internet sites accessed, printed,
>handed over in report form, promises are made by those in authority and
>then broken.
>We stockpile safely off site and wait
>This is true for ALL toxic waste in this laboratory, as well as the rest
>of the labs, together with mercury filled blood pressure cuffs, some
>broken, 'expired' rat poison, old mercury thermometers, 'unknown'
>unlabelled chemicals from shut down labs...some scary stuff
>But - I digress - back to the DAB....and how to manage the growing
>volume of dab waste.....
>Any suggestions.....???
>Anyone.....???
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Tom
>McNemar
>Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 4:59 PM
>To: Joe Nocito; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Subject: RE: [Histonet] DAB disposal
>
>I have the Dako unit.  It separates the hazardous/non-hazardous waste.
>The DAB goes into a 20L carboy that is then hauled off-site for
>disposal.
>
>
>Tom McNemar, HT(ASCP)
>Histology Co-ordinator
>Licking Memorial Health Systems
>(740) 348-4163
>(740) 348-4166
>tmcnemar <@t> lmhealth.org
>www.LMHealth.org
>
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