Antibiotics
Biomedical research at Uppsala University produces waste containing antibiotics. To avoid the negative effect antibiotics can have on health and the environment, antibiotics should only be used when needed, not by routine. In the case where antibiotic is needed, try to choose one which is not medically relevant, and can be readily be inactivated.
- Antibiotics in original containers and stock solutions are sent as chemical waste.
- Non-contaminated solid antibiotic waste (agar plates etc.) are discarded as combustible waste or chemical waste depending on type of antibiotic and concentration.
- Liquid antibiotic waste is collected in canisters, or with absorbents in laboratory wastes boxes and sent as infectious waste for incineration. Only completely inactivated liquid antibiotic waste may be poured down the drain, please note that:
- All types of antibiotics are not completely inactivated by autoclaving, e.g. kanamycin, chloramphenicol, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin
- It is the user’s responsibility to ascertain that the inactivation actually worked completely before pouring anything down the drain.
- Even very low, sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics can result in increased antibiotic resistance