FW: [Pharmwaste] Contaminated Biological Safety Cabinets

[Galvin, Dave]

Fyi, an authoritative response from Sheila Lockwood at the University of
Washington in Seattle:


-----Original Message-----
From: Sheila Lockwood [mailto:lockwood at u.washington.edu] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 12:18 PM
To: Waddell, Dave
Cc: Galvin, Dave
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Contaminated Biological Safety Cabinets

Hi Dave and Dave,

There are a couple approaches you can take to decon a BSC.
1.	You can hire a Hazmat contractor to come in and decon the unit
to
 	your specifications.  This is generally costly ~ $ 500 to a
$1,000.

2.	You perform  a self-directed decontamination by establishing
 	a written protocol that directs how the decon should be
 	approached.  At the UW we exercise both options depending on the
 	situation and project timelines.

Step to a Self-Directed Decontamination
1.	Research what your institutions equipment surplus program
requirements
 	are.  At the UW to surplus laboratory and laboraltry like
equipment
 	that was previously used with biological, radiological or
 	chemicals must be decontaminated and noted when and how
 	the decon occurred, refer to form UoW 1803,
 	http://www.ehs.washington.edu/forms/fso/lab_equip.pdf.

2.	Due to the variation in chemo drug types most decon procedures
 	recommend a gross cleaning with soapy water followed by 3 clean
 	water rinsings.  If there is concern about extensive
contamination
 	you could also do a gross cleaning using a cocktail consisting
 	of 2.5% bleach with 0.25 N Sodium hydroxide in solution first,
 	then follow with a soapy water wash then the 3 rinsings.
 	Generally you let the Bleach/Sodium Hydroxide solution sit on
 	a solid surfaces for a minimum of 30 minutes.  It may be
necessary
 	to collect the rinsings and manage those as chemo waste residue.

3.	Hepa Filter
 	Remove the hepa filter and treat it as chemotherapy debris
waste.
 	Double bag it and manage as chemical waste.  You will need to
wipe
 	down the filter holder inside and out.

4.	Formaldehyde gas
 	If the cabinet involved the usage of biological material or gene
 	therapy development you may want to decon with formaldehyde gas
then
 	due the surface wash mentioned above.  This method can be tricky
 	and time consuming.  It requires evacuating the space of all
 	unnecessary personnel.  You set up a electric skillet like
pan/hot
 	plate with paraformaldehyde powder as the powder melts and heats
 	up it create a gaseous vapour within the cabinet chamber this
 	goes on for about 4 hours then you neutrailize with ammonia and
let
 	the cabinet sit sealed overnight.


Scrap metal vendors may require a certificate of decontamination.  If
the 
cabinet is in good working order they may wish to list it on an exchange

somewhere or with a State Surplus entity if one is available to them.

Hope this helps, if you need anything else let me know.
Sheila

______________________________________________________________________
| Sheila K. Jobe-Lockwood, CHMM
|
| Program Operations Coordinator
| Environmental Health and Safety            Fax: (206) 685-2915       |
| University of Washington                   Phone: (206) 616-5836     |
| Box 354400                                                           |
| Seattle, WA 98195-4400 	                                       |
|                                                                      |
| e-mail: lockwood at u.washington.edu                                    |
| Website: http://www.ehs.washington.edu                               |
|______________________________________________________________________|

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006, Waddell, Dave wrote:

> I'm guessing Sheila Lockwood at UW has had to deal with this at some
> point.
>
> Sheila, have you had to dispose of a " contaminated chemotherapy
> biological safety cabinets (BSC)?"
>
> Dave Waddell
> Local Hazardous Waste Mgmt in King County
> 206-263-3069, dave.waddell at metrokc.gov , www.govlink.org/hazwaste
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
> [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of
Gegeckas,
> Christine
> Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 8:13 AM
> To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
> Subject: [Pharmwaste] Contaminated Biological Safety Cabinets
>
> There's info in the literature about disposing of chemotherapy
> medications, but what about disposing of the contaminated chemotherapy
> biological safety cabinets (BSC)? Does anybody have experience with
> this?
> Your input is greatly appreciated.
> Thank you
>
> Tina Gegeckas, RPh, BCOP
> Oncology Clinical Specialist-Pharmacy
> Lee Memorial Health System
> Fort Myers, FL 33901
> (239) 334-5636
> christine.gegeckas at leememorial.org
>
>
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>
>