According to Armour's Hazardous Chemical Lab disposal guide,

Adding 25 ml of bleach per ml of a dilute Formalin sol'n (10%), leads to
production of formic acid, and, the pH is likely to be
non-characteristic as Hazardous Waste.   But it is treatment, UNLESS, if
this is a teaching lab, then perhaps it could be written in as the last
step of an experiment, thus teaching the student about another reaction
(non-hazardous)byproduct.

Loopholes vary State to State.

-Stefan Wawzyniecki
UConn

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
Debbie Decker
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 1:56 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] formaldehyde and bleach

Quick question:

Does bleach "inactivate" formaldehyde so that the resultant can go down
the drain?  Yes yes - I know formaldehyde is a hazardous waste, blah
blah, and treatment isn't allowed, yada yada.  I have to head off this
biologist before she does any more "chemistry."

Thanks,
Debbie
----------------------
Debbie Decker
EH&S UCDavis
(530)754-7964
FAX (530)752-4527
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
Co-Conspirator to Make the World A 
Better Place -- Visit www.HeroicStories.com and join the conspiracy

Birkett's hypothesis: "Any chemical reaction 
that proceeds smoothly under normal conditions, 
can proceed violently in the presence of an idiot."

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