Laboratory
Laboratory Waste
The Department is committed to ensuring risks from laboratory wastes are managed effectively by appropriate identification, segregation and disposal of different waste types generated in laboratories. Application of good disposal practices is essential to ensure hazardous materials are disposed of safely and do not cause harm to others and/or the environment. Waste disposal requirements will be clearly communicated to staff and students so that they understand their responsibilities
Electrical
Electrical waste
Small & medium sized electrical waste
- All electrical items (including IT equipment) must be taken to the Electronic Workshops with a completed Request to scrap equipment form (MS Word
, 20kb) and a decontamination sticker attached (available from Biology Stores, Elec.W/Shops and Infrastructure Office)
- Small electronic items such as calculators, mobile phones and timers should be returned to Biology Stores for disposal.
Large electrical equipment
- Report on Planon
- Decontaminate the piece of equipment and place a decontamination sticker onto the item (available from Biology Stores, Elec.W/Shops and Infrastructure Office).
- Complete a Request to scrap equipment form (MS Word , 20kb).
- Let the Infrastructure team know of any University of York asset codes so the item can be removed from the relevant databases
- Any charges incurred for the disposal will be passed onto the user.
General
General Waste
Typical General Waste Items
- paper / card (consider putting in recycling bins)
- packaging from consumables and equipment
- uncontaminated paper towels / tissues
Offices
Dispose of all non-recyclable, non-hazardous general waste in the bins provided. In office areas these bins are lined with white/opaque bin bags.
Laboratories
General waste items are disposed of in black bin bags only and collected by cleaners
Recyclable
Recyclable waste
For further details about recycling please visit the University Waste and Recycling pages
Paper, aluminium and steel cans, cardboard and plastic bottles
The Biology Department operates a mixed recycling scheme; all the items below can be placed in any mixed recycling bin around the Department:
- Paper - newspapers, magazines, junk mail, office paper, catalogues, phone books, envelopes, post-it notes, leaflets, disposable coffee cups
- Aluminium and steel cans and foil
- Cardboard
- Plastic - bottles, food cartons, yogurt pots and milk cartons, shrink wrap, crisp packets, plastic wrappers from biscuits, sweets, chocolate, cakes etc., disposable coffee cup lids
Food waste
There are food waste caddies located in the following areas in the Department:
- Atrium kitchen
- F0 kitchen
- H1 kitchen
- J1 teapoint
- K1 admin kitchen
- M1/L1 link teapoint
- M2 (X2)
- Q1 kitchen
- Staff Common Room (next to Cookies)
All food waste can be placed in these caddies including:
- Dairy products
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat and bones
- Bread and pastries
- Tea and coffee waste
Non laboratory glass
Place clean, uncontaminated bottles & jars into the recycling bins identified for glass. Do not place broken glass into mixed recycling containers.
Toners & inkjet cartridges
Take to F0 corridor, there is a toner/inkjet cartridge collection box outside the infrastructure office B/F/010 (no packaging, label printer tapes etc.)
Free Table
The free table on F corridor is a table which staff and students can donate unwanted items for re-use by others. This gives an opportunity to recycle items rather than throw away. Pop by to see what we have on offer.
Waste which can be returned to suppliers
- Alpha – Plastic inserts should be returned to Biology Stores
- Fermentas – Polystyrene boxes and chiller packs should be returned to Biology Stores
- Fisher – Plastic and glass bottles should be washed out and sticker put on confirming they have been cleaned (available from Biology Stores) and returned to Biology Stores. Polystyrene boxes can also be returned.
- GE Healthcare – Radioisotope pots should be returned to Infrastructure Team in B/F010
- NEB – Please put pre-paid label onto empty polystyrene boxes and hand in at Biology Stores
- Promega – Reseal box and polystyrene container and hand in to Biology Stores (ensure that all dry ice has been removed).
- Sigma – Reseal box and polystyrene container and hand in to Biology Stores
- Starlab – Plastic inserts should be returned to Biology Stores.
Other
Other waste
Gas Refil Cartridges
Please return empty gas refil cartridges to the Stores counter for disposal
Batteries
Take to Biology Stores for disposal
Large items of furniture for disposal
Request the disposal on Planon
Fluorescent tubes & low energy lamps
Place in the labelled container in the Biology Stores compound
Confidential paper
Place the paper into confidential papers sacks – report on Planon
Metal waste
Contact Biology Mechanical Workshops for guidance.
Printer /MFD cartridges
Take to collection box on F0 corridor outside the Infrastructure office B/F/010
Any other waste
Please contact the Infrastructure Team for advice regarding the disposal of any other material e.g. precious metals.
