Disposal of Buffers and Chemicals

Disposal of Buffers and Chemicals

1. Any uncontaminated, solidified agar or agarose should be discarded in the trash, not in the sink, and the bottles rinsed well.
2. Any media that becomes contaminated should be promptly autoclaved before discarding it. Petri dishes and other biological waste should be discarded in biohazard containers, which will be autoclaved prior to disposal.
3. Organic reagents, e.g., phenol, should be used in a fume hood and all organic waste should be disposed of in a labeled container, not in the trash or the sink.
4. Ethidium bromide is a mutagenic substance that should be treated before disposal and handled only with gloves. Ethidium bromide should be disposed off in a labeled container.