DNA laboratory (PCR)

Waste management of

• DNA
• PCR products
• Kits
• Agaro seals
• Used running buffer

Protective Equipment

• Gloves (nitrile gloves when handling ethidium bromide)
• Laboratory coat
• Safety glasses

Procedure for disposal 

• All DNA, plasmids etc. must be handled as toxic waste.
• All pipette tips, tubes etc. that have been used for DNA work must be disposed of in yellow toxic waste containers.
• Agaro seals with EtBr and SYBR-safe/SYBR-green etc. are disposed of in yellow toxic waste containers.
• Contaminated glass equipment must be rinsed well before being put ready for washing.
• Kits: waste must be handled in accordance with the HSE data sheet that comes with the kit. 
• Small volumes of isopropanol and ethanol waste must be collected in Eppendorf tubes and disposed of in yellow toxic waste containers. Larger volumes must be handled as hazardous waste.
• Used running buffer must be handled as an absorption medium. Used absorption media must be disposed of in yellow toxic waste containers. Read the safety data sheet that comes with the absorption medium.

Examples of absorption media

• Activated carbon, activated charcoal, C3014-500G, untreated, granular, 20-60 mesh
• Destaining bags, cat. no: 730-0997
• BondEX 50 Set (5), product code M740703

Handling GMO waste

• Waste from GMO must be handled as biological waste and regarded as toxic waste. This applies to both solid and liquid waste.
• Waste from GMO in class 3 and class 4 must be inactivated before it is placed in yellow toxic waste containers.
• Inactivation takes place by autoclaving for one hour at 121 degrees, or by using Virkon 1-3% or 5% hypochlorite.