Lab waste collection labels

Laboratory special waste groups

(Printing instructions below the table)

Group (link to small label, 4 per DINA4 sheet)Identifying colour
Halogenated compoundsOrange
Non-halogenated compoundsGreen
Organic or high COD solutionsLight blue
Inorganic compounds (heavy metals)Yellow
Photographic waste: Fixative
Inorganic acidsRed
Photographic waste: Developer
Inorganic basesBlue
OilsBrown
Highly dangerous (lethal)Fuchsia
Highly hazardous (oxidising)
Highly hazardous (explosive)
Highly hazardous (pyrophoric)
Laboratory reagents
Contaminant solidsMauve
Contaminating packaging
BiohazardousGrey
CytotoxicsBlack

Instructions for the printing of special laboratory waste labels

  1. Choose the group to which the waste to be labelled belongs, in accordance with the system of classification of special laboratory waste.
  2. Open the appropriate file for the chosen waste group.
  3. Place the appropriate 105 x 148 mm label sheet in the printer (4 labels per A4 sheet).
  4. Once the printing is done, fill in by hand the information corresponding to the following boxes:
    • Centre.
    • Department.
    • Laboratory (code or name of the laboratory that generates the waste).
    • Date d’inici (indicate the date on which you started filling the canister, with the format dd/mm/yyyy).
    • Main component(s) of the waste (use the space on the line underneath the
      name of the group).
  5. Attach the label to the corresponding waste container, making sure that the content matches the information on the label.
  6. When the drum is full or the maximum allowed storage time has elapsed (one month for sanitary waste and six months for chemical waste), fill in the ‘Filling date’ box (indicate the date on which the drum is closed, with the format dd/mm/yyyy).

ATTENTION! Given that the waste classification system incorporates a colour code to identify each group, it is essential to print the labels in colour.