Laboratory Wastewater & Liquid Waste inactivation

Disinfection / inactivation of laboratory liquid waste: legal regulations

The inactivation of microbiologically contaminated waste is crucial to minimize the release of organisms from the laboratory and to prevent risks to human health and the environment. The Containment Ordinance (ESV) stipulates that organisms must be rendered harmless for Class 1 activities and must be inactivated for activities classified as Class 2-4.

The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) recommends laboratories from BSL2 onwards to collect liquid waste and contaminated laboratory wastewater using suction flasks, perform on-site chemical inactivation, followed by autoclaving.

Autoclaving may be omitted for biosafety levels 1-3 under certain circumstances, provided that chemical inactivation with comparable effectiveness can render cultures, enrichments of microorganisms, and any potentially contaminated waste inert (Levels 2 and 3) or harmless (Level 1) on-site.

Liquid waste inactivation: individual method validation

However, since liquid wastes can vary in chemical composition, quantity, and types of microorganisms present, the chosen method (with or without autoclaving, appropriate dosage, exposure time, etc.) must always be individually validated. Our recommendations for the use of Sanosil S015 for disinfecting cell cultures and liquid wastes are based on thorough experiments and practical experience but may vary in specific cases.

Successfully validating the method with „house wastewater“ or liquid waste ensures compliance with all legal regulations.

Sanosil S015: boosted hydrogen peroxide for the disinfection of cell cultures and laboratory waste water

Sanosil S015 is a proven disinfectant for water and water system disinfection, as well as for the inactivation of wastewater and liquid wastes (Pt 2.4). Sanosil S015 is relatively easy to handle for disinfecting liquid laboratory wastes: non-hazardous, non-flammable, does not produce noxious vapors, and is not subject to special storage and transportation regulations.

It can be autoclaved at application concentrations, can be disposed of through domestic wastewater channels (AWEL List Category A), and is therefore highly suitable for the chemical inactivation of liquid laboratory wastes.

The active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which is additionally stabilized and catalytically enhanced in its disinfecting effect by a minimal amount of silver ions, boosting its effectiveness by up to 800%. After application, hydrogen peroxide completely decomposes into water and oxygen, significantly reducing its impact on sewage treatment plants and the environment compared to quaternary ammonium compounds or aldehydes. Unlike bromine- or chlorine-containing products, Sanosil S015 does not form trihalomethanes. This makes Sanosil S015 an ideal product for disinfecting laboratory wastewater.