Do safety data sheets (SDS) provide specific information pertaining to environmentally safe disposal methods for chemical wastes? A preliminary viewpoint with special reference to highly toxic and genotoxic chemicals used in biomedical laboratories

Safety data sheets (SDS) of chemicals are not only a key component of hazard/s communication in workplaces, but also furnish information on safe disposal of the waste chemicals. However, the question is do SDS furnish specific information regarding environmentally safe disposal of wastes? Therefore, this paper provides an appraisal on specific in-situ pre-treatment (where applicable) and environmentally acceptable disposal practices described in the SDS of selected toxic and genotoxic chemicals used in biomedical laboratories. A total of 21 SDS were reviewed, but only 19% of the SDS recommended high-temperature incineration of the waste chemicals after dissolution in a combustible solvent. None of the SDS described disposal options available for contaminated packaging. There is a necessity for chemical manufacturers to provide specific and reliable details on disposal options in the SDS and users need to be cautious when consulting SDS to formulate hazardous waste management plans.