• When practical, minimize the amount of radioactive waste generated by surveying items for contamination before putting them into the waste container.
• Do not discard any radioactive material or potentially contaminated item into a regular trash container or wastebasket.
• All radioactive waste must be stored in containers provided and/or approved by Radiation Safety.
• Label the outside of all radioactive waste containers with stickers indicating "Caution Radioactive Waste—Do Not Empty" and with the isotope contained.
• Radiation Safety will provide all routine packaging materials such as yellow plastic bags to line the waste containers, labels, plastic jugs, and absorbent.
• Segregate wastes according to isotope and waste form (i.e., dry solid waste, sharps, organic scintillation fluid and its associated liquid scintillation vials, biodegradable scintillation vials and its associated liquid scintillation vials, aqueous solutions, organic solutions, and animal/pathological waste).
• Sharps must be placed in a biosafety-approved sharps container.
• Shield radioactive material waste containers properly to minimize personnel exposure in the lab.
• Never place lead shielding inside radioactive waste containers.
• Do not allow waste to accumulate in the lab or to overflow its container.