Silica Waste
Silica gel is commonly used in synthetic laboratories for column chromatography. The waste silica is typically contaminated with organic solvents and research chemicals and is collected for disposal by an external waste contractor. Whenever possible, silica waste should be collected in empty 5-litre solvent containers.
Disposal Procedure
When the container is full:
- Replace and tighten the lid of the container.
- Wipe down the outside of the container to ensure it is clean and free of silica dust.
- Add a “waste silica” label to the bottle, ensuring the research group name is added
(labels can be obtained from stores). - Place the silica bottles in the silica waste drop-off area.
E-mail [email protected] or [email protected] to arrange access to the silica waste cupboard if you do not have the access code.
