In what ways are these funnels compliant with EPA regs? Do they have vent openings in the area where the device is attached to the waste bottle? Does the lid completely seal shut?  Is it a completely closed system that will not leak/spill (from vent openings/loose lid) if accidentally knocked over? Do you leave the funnels on the waste bottles all of the time or do you remove them at the end of the academic lab session and recap the bottles?

 

Our lab staff use standard 4L glass bottles (repurposed) for our liquid waste and use wide-mouth containers for our solid waste/used weigh boats/used filter paper waste in the general chemistry labs. Also, you should consider the method of waste removal at your institution. Do you remove your waste on a daily basis to a 90-day area? Or do you accumulate waste in a satellite area? This would determine the type/size of waste containers that will be needed for your labs. Do your organic labs use micro-scale? This would produce very little waste (with the exception of the acetone wash waste) and would require much smaller containers than would be needed for your general chemistry labs.

 

All of these factors are important and another key factor is that the container must be big enough to be properly labeled/dated according to the policies of your institution.

 

 

 

I love Eco Funnel systems.  They are EPA compliant and the strainer catches magnets  We collect in these and transfer to others to discard.  They are not cheap, but are definitely worth it.  However, that being said, safety coated bottles are not cheap either.  Usually, you can find the product you want at the link below and order it through VWR (may have to have your rep quote a price) and it will be cheaper than Lab Safety.  Lab Safety has been very good about sending us replacement parts for the clasps, which will fail eventually.

http://www.calpaclab.com/eco-funnels/

As for narrow mouth containers, I do not see any advantage to those.  I prefer wide mouth, safety coated bottles.  All of our bottles are recycled 2.5 or 4 L solvent or acid bottles.  Anything that comes through the stockroom empty has all manufacturers labels removed, is rinsed with an appropriate solvent (added to waste), and thoroughly washed and allowed to air dry (no lid in storage).  I only use plastic bottles for nitric acid waste - a lesson learned.

S-

I'm getting ready to order some waste accumulation bottles for our laboratories and wonder if there is a practical reason to have narrow mouth bottles rather than wide mouth bottles. It seems like the wide mouth bottles would eliminate the need for a funnel during the filling process and lead to less exterior contamination of the waste bottle. However, standard practice appears to be narrow mouth bottles and I wonder if this is due to a specific practical reason or inertia?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO

Chemical Hygiene Officer

Keene State College

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu