----- Ori ginal Message -----

From: Johnson, Amy Carr

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:57 AM

Subject: [DCHAS-L] Pe roxide formers

I have been asked whether ethyl ether's peroxide -forming properties are affected if the ether is anhydrous. Any Chemis ts out there?

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F rom: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sent: Wed Jun 16 11: 23:23 2010
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Syringe Disposal

et al,
 
There's a difference between syringes/ hypodermic needles for any medicinal purpose and similar ones which ca nnot have come into contact with human/animal body fluids.
 There's necessarily a real concern about transmission of blood-borne pathogens from medically-used hypodermic needles and that's why for p olitical and public health reasons we have "Universal Precautions" which always were common sense anyway for medically-used syringes/hypodermic needles.  Some of these blood-borne pathogens are deadly and no innocent person coming across them on a beach or as a custodian in an airport or educational institution or elsewhere should get a life-thre atening medical condition because they were just enjoying the beach or doing their job.  There are methods described for proper disposa l of such hypodermic needles.  I'd suggest anyone interested go t o the CDC website and look under "Universal Precautions" and "Medical Waste" for more information.
 
For syringes and needles tha t have been used for laboratory purposes and have not been in contact with human or animal body fluids, then from a physician/medic al toxicologist perspective, if you throw them in the regular trash, s omeone who is prone to self-inject illicit drugs intravenously or othe rwise might come across them and the conditions of sterility (and what chemical residuals may still be in syringes) are rather universa lly ignored.  Even if they are syringes without needles, the y could be diverted.  Better to incinerate the whole hootenany or deal with medical waste however your institution does it "in complian ce with all federal, state, and local regulations" in "MSDS-Speak".
 
Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist
  ;

 

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Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:56:13 -0700
From: russell.vernon**At_Symbol_Here**UCR.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS -L] Syringe Disposal
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

In California the legislature in its infinite wisdom (under the influence of the tourism industry) declared all unwanted hypodermic needles as =E2=80=98medical wa ste=E2=80=99 no matter what they have or have not been used to do

 

This after bags of medical waste washed up on beaches in San Diego after they were discarded f rom cruise ships=E2=80=A6

 

J< /span>

-Russ

 

Russell Vernon, Ph.D. 
russell.vernon**At_Symbol_Here**ucr.edu
www.ehs.ucr.edu
(951) 827-5119

F rom: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Williams, Mark
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 9:07 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Syringe Disposal

 

Hi All,

We use syringes to delive r solvents. Some of the syringes have needles, some do not. None contain any biohazardous substance, but the solvents would be hazardous waste if disposed of.

*For syringes without nee dles, if they are empty when disposed of, can we consider each syringe to be a RCRA empty container and throw them in the regular trash?< /p>

*What about empty, non-biohazardous syringes with needles?

I have done a little searching on thi s issue, but have not come up with definitive guidance.

Thank you

 

 

Mark Williams

 

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From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS- L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of DCHAS-L automatic digest system
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 12:01 AM
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Subject: DCHAS-L Digest - 13 Jun 2010 to 14 Jun 2 010 (#2010-144)