[Histonet] embedding and microtomy "medical waste"

[Curt]

So here's a good one for you all... we had the county health department come through the lab and ding us on medical waste... specifically the plastic disposable lids at embedding, the lens paper used for wrapping specimens such as ECC and EMB. Then they got us on the Kim Wipes used to clean the water bath at microtomy... those papers have human tissue on them so they need to be treated as medical waste... NOW we have to have red cans next to all microtomes and embedding stations. The obvious issue outside of cost and logic is that these medical waste cans all seem to have self closing lids which really interferes with the rhythm and pace of work when one needs to reach over with a food to open the lid after every block is embedded and when they water bath is cleaned after every block...

Simple question(s): 1)does anyone else have to do such things to contain the waste, 2) does anyone know of a source for medical waste cans that do not have these frustrating self closing lids... if we could simple remove the lid and replace it when done then we could deal with it, the cost is one thing but slowing down work flow is a problem.

And just for a little more humor, they actually wanted me to contain and dispose of the water runoff from our two automated slide stainers, we run about 2200 slides a night... that would be many gallons of waste water every night and would not be within the budget.... We in turn ran a fish kill test which demonstrated that the water runoff which contain little Hematoxylin, bluing and clarifier do not pose any significant threat to the environment, not even in California....

Bottom line to all this, I need some red trash cans with removable lids, if they're still out there somewhere.... Anywhere.....


Thanks for your input,

Curt

Ps, I didn't proff read thie smail... if something is not spelt correctly, don't hold it against me....