Environmental Health & Safety

Occupational Safety Unit

Disposal Protocol for High Level Disinfectants (HLDs)

Used Glutaraldehyde Containing High Level Disinfectants:

• These disinfectants include Cidex, Rapicide High Level Disinfectant, Aldahol, and Regimen Glut (active ingredient for these are glutaraldehyde)
• Classified as environmentally hazardous and must be neutralized prior to disposal
• Sprinkle Glute Out (glycine powder) into the container of used disinfectant at the rate of 100 grams per gallon (25 grams for a quart). If these disinfectants are in tubs that have loose fitting tops, the tops can be placed onto the tubs.
• If the tubs are not in a ventilated cabinet, leave the room. After allowing about 5 minutes for the glycine to neutralize the aldehyde disinfectant, carefully pour the neutralized disinfectant down the drain. Allow cool water to run in the sink to help flush the mixture down the drain.
• Rinse out the tubs several times to ensure neither the disinfectant or the neutralizers are present.

Used OPA (ortho-phthalaldehyde) Containing High Level Disinfectants

• These disinfectants include Cidex OPA and Rapicide OPA, which are not classified as environmentally hazardous since the active ingredient is <1% and total volumes used are low.
• These spent used solutions can be drain disposed with copious amounts of cold running water without neutralization (see below for expired unused solutions).

Used Hydrogen Peroxide / Peracetic Acid Containing High Level Disinfectants that were NOT used in an automatic reprocessor (the disinfectants used in the Medivator and Trophon units are neutralized within the machine):

• These disinfectants include Revital-Ox and Rapicide PA
• Classified as environmentally hazardous and must be neutralized prior to disposal
• Sprinkle one-half pound of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) into a one-gallon container of used disinfectant (1/4 pound (110 grams) per quart), a slight excess is acceptable. Bubbling of the bicarbonate with the material shows the neutralization occurring
• If the tubs are not in a ventilated cabinet, leave the room. After allowing 5 minutes for the bicarbonate to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid disinfectant, carefully pour the neutralized disinfectant down the drain. Allow cool water to run in the sink to help flush the mixture down the drain
• Rinse out the tubs several times to ensure neither the disinfectant or the neutralizers are present

Expired Unused HLDs:

There are two options for the disposal of HLDs that have not been used and the expiration date on the bottle has been exceeded. They include:

• The HLDs can be disposed of through EH&S Environmental Compliance Unit (Hazardous Waste Group) using Chematix, the system used to schedule and track the disposal of hazardous waste. If you are not currently set up in Chematix, call the Environmental Compliance Unit at 585-275-2056 to get set up in the system prior to your first usage.
• The HLDs can be drained disposed if the appropriate neutralizer has been added to the container and after waiting 5-10 minutes for the neutralization to occur. OPA and Glutaraldehyde solutions can be neutralized with Glute-Out (glycine powder) and Hydrogen Peroxide solutions can be neutralized with baking soda.

NOTE:

Adding baking soda to full containers of the hydrogen peroxide / peracetic acid HLDs can cause bubbling which may overflow out of the container. To minimize cleanup, the recommendation is to place the container into a sink and add the neutralizer incrementally, about 1/4 of the desired quantity every 5 minutes until all the desired neutralizer has been added. DO NOT CAP THESE CONTAINERS DURING THE NEUTRALIZATION PROCESS!

Residual HLD Fluid in container used in automatic reprocessor (i.e. Medivator, DSD Edge): empty container may have some residual fluid left at bottom that can not be siphoned off via reprocessor tube suction. The residual amount of remaining liquid is small (approximately 1/4 cup) so the container is technically considered "empty" at that point. Therefore, it is acceptable to add water (at least one liter for a five-liter container) to the container to dilute what is left and then drain dispose with copious amounts of running water. The small residual amount does not have to be neutralized prior to disposal

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Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 6/12/2024. Disclaimer.