DCHAS-L Archives Jun 16 2010 - Peroxide formers

>DCHAS-L Archives Jun 16 2010 - Peroxide formers
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:57:46 -0400
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From: "Johnson, Amy Carr" <amy_johnson**At_Symbol_Here**HARVARD.EDU>
Subject: Peroxide formers

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

From: 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 cannot 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 political 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-threatening medical condition because they were just enjoying the beach or doing their job. There are methods described for proper disposal of such hypodermic needles. I'd suggest anyone interested go to the CDC website and look under "Universal Precautions" and "Medical Waste" for more information.

For syringes and needles that have been used for laboratory purposes and have not been in contact with human or animal body fluids, then from a physician/medical toxicologist perspective, if you throw them in the regular trash, someone who is prone to self-inject illicit drugs intravenously or otherwise might come across them and the conditions of sterility (and what chemical residuals may still be in syringes) are rather universally ignored. Even if they are syringes without needles, they could be diverted. Better to incinerate the whole hootenany or deal with medical waste however your institution does it "in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations" in "MSDS-Speak".

Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist

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 Ômedical wasteÕ 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 from cruise shipsÉ

J

-Russ

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

From: 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 deliver 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 needles, 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?

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

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

Thank you

Mark Williams

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
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: DCHAS-L Digest - 13 Jun 2010 to 14 Jun 2010 (#2010-144)

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