According to Armour's Hazardous Chemical Lab disposal guide, Adding 25 ml of bleach per ml of a dilute Formalin sol'n (10%), leads to production of formic acid, and, the pH is likely to be non-characteristic as Hazardous Waste. But it is treatment, UNLESS, if this is a teaching lab, then perhaps it could be written in as the last step of an experiment, thus teaching the student about another reaction (non-hazardous)byproduct. Loopholes vary State to State. -Stefan Wawzyniecki UConn -----Original Message----- From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Debbie Decker Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 1:56 PM To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [DCHAS-L] formaldehyde and bleach Quick question: Does bleach "inactivate" formaldehyde so that the resultant can go down the drain? Yes yes - I know formaldehyde is a hazardous waste, blah blah, and treatment isn't allowed, yada yada. I have to head off this biologist before she does any more "chemistry." Thanks, Debbie ---------------------- Debbie Decker EH&S UCDavis (530)754-7964 FAX (530)752-4527 dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu Co-Conspirator to Make the World A Better Place -- Visit www.HeroicStories.com and join the conspiracy Birkett's hypothesis: "Any chemical reaction that proceeds smoothly under normal conditions, can proceed violently in the presence of an idiot."
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