Broken laboratory glass cannot be disposed of in regular plastic bags. Instead, use a sturdy cardboard box with a thick plastic liner. You can use one of the following options:
- Purchase a dedicated sturdy cardboard box with a polyethylene liner from one of the many vendors who sell "broken glass" waste boxes, such as VWR, Fisher, and Lab Safety Supply.
- Use a sturdy cardboard box with a heavy plastic liner that is clear, black or white. Do not use a biohazard or radioactive waste bag.
Examples of broken glass that can be disposed of in this manner include:
- Used or unused broken lab glassware provided the residue is not acutely toxic.
- Empty product containers.
- Slides or petri dishes, provided they are not contaminated with biological or chemical waste.
Once the broken glass box is full:
- Tape it closed.
- Write "TRASH" on it.
- Dispose of as regular trash.
Do not overfill the boxes with large glass containers and make the boxes too heavy for easy pick up.
About Fixed Tissue Glass Slides: If you have a large number of glass slides with fixed tissues, call OCRS at 615-322-2057 during business hours.
Contaminated glass cannot be disposed of in this manner. If your broken glass is contaminated with biohazardous, radioactive material, or hazardous chemicals, it cannot be disposed of in regular trash.