Decided upon by/date: Vice-Chancellor/04.10.

2010 University of Gothenburg Environmental Manual

Revised by/date: Environmental controller/28.9.2012
Dnr: F8 70/10

Guidelines for wastewater from laboratory research and teaching

at the University of Gothenburg and the Chalmers University of Technology

These guidelines are included in “Rules for environmentally sound handling of chemicals”
(dnr F8 70/10) as Appendix 1.

Purpose
The purpose is to provide guidelines and support on how waste in liquid form from laboratories is to
be handled, including what discharges can be released to the municipal sewerage system.

Scope
The guidelines apply to research and teaching laboratories, where either the University of
Gothenburg or the Chalmers University of Technology is the responsible authority and which are
connected to the municipal wastewater treatment plant GRYAAB (Göteborgsregionens
Ryaverksaktiebolag), through the municipal sewer network. These guidelines are an exception to
applicable rules and legislation and have been approved following communication with competent
authorities and wastewater treatment plants. This exception is based on the circumstances at the
above laboratories and the relevant portion of the sewer network, the sewage treatment plant and
the Göta Älv river. This routine consequently CANNOT be used by other activities, outside the
University of Gothenburg and Chalmers, without prior communication with competent authorities.

Responsibility
The Head of Department is responsible for handling of chemicals and wastewater in the department.
The Head of Department may appoint a person with responsibility for wastewater to support other
employees and students.

Questions
Questions are answered firstly by the departmental laboratory officers and secondly by the faculties'
environmental coordinators or central environmental coordinators at the University. If you have
suggestions for more chemicals which should be placed on the list, e-mail your suggestions to
mls@gu.se. The wastewater treatment plant GRYAAB can also assist in answering questions or
doubts on chemicals in municipal wastewater, see www.gryaab.se

Discharges
Discharges of substances/chemicals that do not fulfil the requirements of these guidelines must,
under legislation, be reported immediately to the fire and rescue service, tel. 112, the Greater
Gothenburg fire and rescue service, tel. 031 335 26 00, or the Gothenburg Environmental
Administration, tel. 031- 368 37 00 http://www.goteborg.se/wps/portal/miljo.

Background
In order to reduce our combined environmental impact and the risk of discharging harmful
substances from our activities, it is very important that everyone contributes to reducing emissions
of chemicals to the sewer network as far as possible. Wastewater from the University of Gothenburg
and Chalmers goes principally to GRYAAB and can only be received there on condition that it can be
treated at the Ryaverket treatment plant. This treatment plant is built to treat the pollutants that
normally occur in wastewater from households. Environmentally hazardous and harmful substances,
such as heavy metals and certain organic substances which are degradable with difficulty, toxic,
bioaccumulative (are stored in living organisms) or inhibit nitrification/denitrification (interfere with
nitrogen separation) must on no account before discharged into the sewer network.

Basic principle

All chemical solutions which differ in their chemical content from normal household waste
shall be collected in waste containers and sent for destruction as hazardous waste.
This means that only solutions which without any doubt are entirely harmless to personnel, water
traps, pipe systems, plumbers, the various processes of the sewage treatment plant, the Göta älv

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Decided upon by/date: Vice-Chancellor/04.10.2010 University of Gothenburg Environmental Manual
Revised by/date: Environmental controller/28.9.2012
Dnr: F8 70/10

river and its organisms, the Kattegatt and the Atlantic Ocean etc., in the short and medium terms,
may be discharged into the sewer.

Exceptions to the basic principle

Following communication with competent authorities and sewage treatment plants, the University of
Gothenburg and Chalmers have been given permission for the following exemptions from applicable
rules and legislation. The exemptions are based on the circumstances in the relevant laboratories,
the hazardousness and degradability of the chemicals and the circumstances in the sewer networks,
wastewater treatment plants and receiving bodies of water in Gothenburg. This routine consequently
CANNOT be used be used by any party other than the University of Gothenburg/Chalmers without
prior communication with authorities.

If a chemical is to be discharged to the sewer, all three requirements must be met:

1. It must concern smaller quantities for example of experimental residues or

solvents which are difficult to collect for example by dishwashing. It is not permitted
to pour pure chemicals straight from a can or similar. This list is therefore not to be applied
for getting rid of chemicals in chemical cleansing etc. Check carefully that the solution does
not contain any harmful secondary chemicals!
2. The pH value must be no lower than 5 and no higher than 11.5
Very acidic or alkaline solutions may damage the pipe system. The pH value must therefore
be adjusted.
3. The substance is one of the following:
- Inorganic chemicals: inorganic substances must be presented as hazardous waste.
However, the following ioins in aqeuous solution may be poured down the drain in
small quantities:

Kations: Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ti(IV), Mn(IV) (obs ej Mn(VII)), Fe2+, Fe3+, Al3+
Anions: Cl-, Br--, I-, CO32-, NO3-, PO43-, SO32-, SO42-, silicates, borates
GRYAAB requests us not to discharge Li+ to the sewer, as they use this substance to detect
certain things in the sewer network.

- Organic chemicals: The concentration of the substances must not exceed 10 per cent
by volume when poured away (pipes/water traps are damaged). A maximum of 3
litres of 10% solution per day and laboratory room and a maximum of 30 litres of
10% solution per day and building, provided that this takes place without any risk of
ignition or inhalation.

Methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol

Propanone (acetone), acetonitrile
Glucose – saccharose etc. sugars
Urea
Formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, citric acid

Radioactive isotopes: Discharges of alpha-radiating isotopes must not occur at Chalmers. Other
isotopes with levels of radiation above the background level may be discharged following permission
from the Chalmers radiation protection officer. SSMFS 2010:2 must be complied with. The risk of
accumulation of radioactivity in sewers, treatment plants and sludge must also be considered. For
the University of Gothenburg, certain isotopes may be released into the wastewater, in accordance
with Swedish Radiation Safety Authority regulations SSMFS 2010:2 , see also www.sis.se

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Decided upon by/date: Vice-Chancellor/04.10.2010 University of Gothenburg Environmental Manual
Revised by/date: Environmental controller/28.9.2012
Dnr: F8 70/10

Rules for handling antibiotics

Certain antibiotics are inactivated by autoclaving/boiling and can then be released into the sewers
(see table below). Antibiotics which are not inactivated by autoclaving/boiling or where the effect of
autoclaving/boiling is unknown are to be presented as high-risk waste. Culture media where
antibiotics are inactivated are obviously required not to contain any hazardous secondary chemicals
if they are to be poured down the drain! Antibiotics prepared in the form of medicines (tablet or
solution) must always be presented as high-risk waste. These recommendations apply to the
disposal for example of experimental residues or culture media which have arisen in the university’s
laboratories. These recommendations are thus not to be applied to disposal in cleansing etc.

Handling instructions
The following treatment must be carried out without exception:

Antibiotics Recommendation

Beta-lactams
Ampicillin Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain
Carbenicillin (Destroyed by autoclaving/boiling)
Penicillin

Aminoglycosides
Geneticin (G418) Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain
Gentamycin (Destroyed by autoclaving/boiling)
Neomycin
Streptomycin

Kanamycin Not destroyed by normal autoclaving/boiling. Can be autoclaved at very acidic pH before
being poured down drain, otherwise must be delivered as chemical waste.

Others
Chloramphenicol Presented as high-risk waste (NOT destroyed by autoclaving/boiling)

Amphotericin = Fungizon Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain

Erythromycin Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain
Puromycin Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain
Sulfadoxin Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain
Tetracycline Autoclaved/boiled and poured down drain

Blasticidin Presented as high-risk waste (unknown properties)

Ciprofloxacin Presented as high-risk waste (NOT destroyed by autoclaving)
Enrofloxacin Presented as high-risk waste (unknown properties)
Nalidixinic acid Presented as high-risk waste
Vancoymycin Presented as high-risk waste and must be replaced completely! (Very stable, last
antibiotics that work against mutiresistant staphylococci)

Zeomycin Presented as high-risk waste (unknown properties)

Zeocin Presented as high-risk waste (unknown properties)

If in any doubt, deliver antibiotics as high-risk waste.

Sources: Antibiotika-Fibel, Gerg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1975, samt

“Rekommendationer för behandling av antibiotikaavfall vid Karolinska Institutet”
(“Recommendations for treatment of antibiotic waste at Karolinska Institutet”), Christina Hallgren
et al.

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