Get the LEAD Out!

Autoclave tape used in many laboratories may contain levels of lead that exceed the hazardous waste limit for trash disposal. The easy way to tell whether your autoclave tape contains lead is if the tape has stripes running across at an angle (/ / / / / /). If it has very faint text (the word "autoclaved"), it most likely is a lead-free alternative.

FisherBrand, 3M Comply, Propper, Shamrock, and VWR ("Canada") brand available through Biostores prior to November 2008 contain lead levels that exceed the hazardous waste disposal limits.

• REPLACE lead-containing rolls of autoclave tape with a non-lead containing alternative, or
• MANAGE lead-containing (collect and dispose of all used bits of autoclave tape) as hazardous waste.

Manage and Dispose of used bits of lead-containing autoclave tape as solid hazardous waste:

• Collect bits of used tape in a sealed Ziplock bag or plastic jar
• Attach a Stanford Chemical Waste tag to the container
• Fill out all five areas on the tag
• Request a chemical waste pick up using the online hazardous waste pickup form

Purchase lead-free autoclave tape for your lab through SmartMart. So far, the following products have been determined to be lead-free:

• VWR Autoclave Indicator Tape, Product #: 89176
• SPS Medical - Latex/Lead Free Steam Indicator Tape, Product #: LF2-048