Dear fellow ACS Div-CHAS members,

I'm looking for advice on what you tell your people about working with
chemicals of unknown toxicity.

In my current case, I have a researcher who will administer a compound
she is getting from a colleague at the EPA to mice. Some ata I have on
similar compounds show those chemical to be 'not very toxic' but I can
not find any information about this stuff.

I only half-jokingly suggested she obtain an MSDS from the EPA as they
are the supplier.

I'm inclined to tell them to treat the material as highly toxic and
collect the metabolites found in the mouse bedding/feces/urine and
handle as hazardous waste. At least until they have more information
about the hazards.

Do you agree? Do you have any particular guidance you would care to
share?

Thanks in advance!
-Russ

 Russell Vernon, Ph.D. 
UC System-wide Field Safety Working Group Chair
www.ehs.uci.edu/apps/fieldsafe/index.jsp 
Laboratory / Research Safety Specialist, Integrated Waste Manager and
Interim Hazardous Materials Manager
Environmental Health & Safety 
University of California, Riverside 
900 University Ave. 
Riverside, CA 92521 
russell.vernon**At_Symbol_Here**ucr.edu 
www.ehs.ucr.edu 
Direct: (951) 827-5119
Admin: (951) 827-5528
Fax: (951) 827-5122
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