Animal related waste includes any bodily excretions (i.e., urine, feces, blood) as well as materials (i.e., bedding, water, feed) that may become contaminated with animal excretions. Research animal carcasses and waste exposed to biological, chemical, or radiological hazards require proper disposal for the safety of employees and compliance with state and federal regulations. Decontamination, inactivation, and disposal procedures can be found on this page.
Follow your facility’s standard operating procedures for carcass and animal bedding/waste disposal when no other hazards are present.
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Animal Waste - General
- Rodent caging that contain bedding without additional hazards (no biologicals) should be changed in an animal transfer station, fume hood, or BSC in order to limit exposure to allergens. If these can not be used, then respiratory protection (N95) should be worn.
- Large animal species that have bedding, collect the bedding and dispose of based on what hazards are present. If no additional hazards are present, bag bedding and dispose of in trash.
- Large animal species that do not have bedding typically have the waste flushed down the drain to the city sewer.
- Farm settings will have procedures in place for dealing with the animal waste. Follow those procedures.
Animal Waste With Biological Hazards
- Always follow what is listed in the approved biosafety protocol for disposal and PPE.
- In general, cage changes should occur within a BSC. Cage changes performed outside of the BSC require IBC approval and may require additional PPE.
- For ABSL 2 and higher, bedding usually is required to be autoclaved. If the amount of bedding is large an alternative disinfection method is required, contacted the ARS group.
- Biological Waste Disposal page
Animal Waste with Chemical Hazards
- Always follow what is listed in the Chemical Hazards section of the approved animal protocol for disposal and PPE
- Cages should be labeled with the appropriate disposal method on the Human Health Hazard labels on cages that have been exposed with a chemical hazard. The standard disposal is to double bag the bedding and dispose of in the regular trash.
- If chemical hazards will be added to water bottles, those bottles need to be labeled with the chemical and disposal method. Depending on the chemical, the water may need to be picked up by Chemical Safety for disposal.
- Chemicals added to aquatic tanks may require special disposal. Tanks should be labeled with the chemical and disposal method. Depending on the chemical, the water may need to be picked up by Chemical Safety for disposal.
- Chemotherapy drugs may have special waste procedures depending on if they are used in a research setting verses being used in a clinical setting such as those used in the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) hospital and clinics.
- When used in a research setting, follow the standard UW-Madison waste stream.
- When used in the SVM hospital and clinics, dedicated yellow waste receptacles are to be used for trace chemotherapy waste. This includes PPE, animal bedding, and animal waste.
- Chemical Waste Pickup Request Form
- Chemical Safety Disposal Procedures by Chemical (PDF)
Mixed Waste
- Mixed waste refers to waste that contains different types of hazards such as biological hazards AND radioactive hazards.
- In general for animals that receive both a biological hazard and a chemical hazard, the disposal methods for the biological hazard that is listed in the approved biosafety protocol should be followed.
- Without knowing the specifics, it can be difficult to determine how to handle mixed waste. Please contact EHS for assistance in determining the correct process.
- See link for more information on Radioactive Material Disposal
Animal Tissue/Carcass Disposal
- In general, carcasses are disposed of via incineration after being picked up by EHS. Some biosafety protocols may also require that carcasses be autoclaved before pickup by EHS.
- Animal carcasses should NOT be disposed of via MERI.
- Animal tissues that are in liquids (ethanol, formalin, mineral oil, etc), need to be strained out prior to disposal. The liquid should be disposed of via the approved method listed in the Chemical Safety Disposal Procedures by Chemical. The strained tissues should be picked up EHS for disposal.
- Animal Tissue/Carcass Disposal Request Form
- For carcasses weighing more than 40lbs, contact EHS for assistance prior to filling out the Animal Tissue/Carcass Disposal Request form.
- Farm animal carcasses will have varied disposal methods. Farm animal carcasses that do not require incineration, follow facility standard for disposal.
- A poster describing these procedures is available upon request.
Hazard Pharmaceuticals
- Certain pharmaceutical chemicals require special waste procedures as regulated by the EPA.
- Collect these Hazardous Pharmaceuticals in a sealed container and contact Chemical Safety for disposal (Chemical Disposal/Surplus Pickup Request Form)
- Unused, expired or partial syringes of pharmaceutical chemicals should follow these guidelines. Sharps are NOT allowed in the hazardous pharmaceutical waste stream.
- Waste anesthetic gas charcoal canisters that are used with Isoflurane contain activated charcoal and should follow all the Hazardous Pharmaceuticals Waste procedures.
- Fill out the paper Surplus Chemicals Form (PDF) and keep it with the chemicals until they are picked up.
- Label the disposal container with the date of the first item that was added to the container.
- Waste items for disposal should be picked up within 1 year.
- Those working with these hazardous pharmaceuticals are required to take Hazardous Pharmaceutical Disposal Training.
- A poster describing these procedures is available upon request.
Rx Destroyers
- Rx Destroyer is a commercial product that can be used for collecting pharmaceutical waste. Here at UW-Madison, ONLY controlled substances should be disposed of into Rx Destroyers.
- Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals should NOT be disposed of in Rx Destroyers.
- Collect the DEA controlled substances into the Rx Destroyer and contact Chemical Safety for disposal (Chemical Disposal/Surplus Pickup Request Form)
- Unused, expired or partial syringes of pharmaceutical chemicals should follow these guidelines. Sharps are NOT allowed in the Rx Destroyer waste stream.
- Fill out the paper Surplus Chemicals Form (PDF) and keep it with the chemicals until they are picked up.
- Label the disposal container with the date of the first item that was added to the container.
- Waste items for disposal should be picked up within 1 year.
- A poster describing these procedures is available upon request.