Australia's Science Forum

Thanks everyone for your help.

Hope to see you at St Marys.

Ilona

Does anyone know the best way to dispose of 20L plus of photographic developer chemicals that I came across during stocktake. The art teacher usually transports is in her car to the local council tip but is getting sick of doing it, not to mention that she shouldn't be doing it.
Someone from OH&S told her it could just be diluted well and disposed of down the sink. How do other schools deal with these chemicals?
Estelle

Check with a local photo place maybe? Ask what they do and maybe you could somehow get it to them?

Estelle, can you find out what chemical it is - maybe google it?

A few years ago at my other school we disposed of several 20L containers via the council clean-up. From memory I think it was acetic acid, so an option would be to dilute/pH adjust down the sink.

At the very least, your art teacher could request that the OHS committee organise disposal - have the GA use a school vehicle to take it to the tip for her.

I do chemical stocktake once a year at the end of term 2 leave it attached to the chem cabinets then have a quick look before placing the bulk order in august, but will prob do an equipment list at the end of the year now its quiet just my own copy.

Hi Rae,
I refer to your question way back in May 2011 - sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. Smaller containers of chemicals I can take to the local tip, and just put them in the correct chemical section (they have areas marked for Oxidising, Toxic, etc). So I can do that, or usually I see if I can dilute and sink it; otherwise I just leave the bottles to be disposed of in a box, until I hear of a pickup happening in the area. We don't have much waste.

Sorry, was disturbed and had to disconnect... I usually have a stocklist printed and left in my Chem Store, one in my desk drawer, and another on a shelf in my "everyday" chemical cupboard. Whenever I use the last of a particular chemical I mark it off the list so when I get to a computer I immediately update it with one less bottle. Usually, when I get time, I just grab the nearest list and go through the nearest cupboard - pick up the bottle of say, 500g, if it is more than half full, I write down that I have 250g, if it is less, then I write there is 50 or 100g., etc. In my chem store room, however, each bottle is a full one, so as soon as I take one full bottle of say, CuSO4, I know I need to replace it by end of year or term (depending on how often it is used). I have sample stocklist which you are welcome to look at - just email me at sue.cox2@det.nsw.edu.au and I can email it to you.

Hi coxy, would you mind if I had a look at your list?
we don't have any such thing and I have been instructed to start one

Here it is - hope the attachment works. Hope the list works for you - you can add or delete whatever you need - obviously.

Best way to contact me is by email, because I am lucky to get onto this site once a term!!

Wow thanks coxy. Just what i needed to update my list

Rell

What are sodium sticks please?
Rosalie (another one)

the question is for Coxy. I found the item in your beautiful stock list. The colours are a great idea
Rosalie (another one)

Thank you for your prompt response and letting us access what is a lot of work.....still daunting though, going to be a busy week

Hi Rosalie,
The sodium sticks are just the way the sodium was here when I arrived: kind of long thick stilvery sticks under paraffin in a large, long tin with sealable lid. I always just called them sodium sticks because to me, sodium is salt that you put on your chips!!

Glad people are finding the list useful; I am a list person, so I have similar lists for my equipment stock, stationery, textbooks, glassware, etc.

I have just dug this thread out, as over the 'water cooler' this morning the principal said to me that she has to talk to me about the chemical register.
I do it at the end of term1 every year, and re-reading this has resassured me that I have done it well. My set out even looks similar to "Coxy"'s so i am on the right track...

Here is part of one that Ive done, its mostly to let the teacher know where the chemicals are

Hi all,

Just wondering if any of you have been asked to do a chemical stocktake for the entire school? Or do you just record science?
I've been trying to find some information on this but can't find anything other than forums but I have read somewhere that you don't need to record the chemical if it is being used for its manufactured purpose? Eg, in Visual Arts - aerosol paint cans used for art, so I shouldn't need to record this (or any paint)
However I have been.
Can anyone shed some light onto this and if you have any documentation on what is required to be included in the register, please let me know.

Thanks, and Happy Friday!

Are you a private or DoE school. DoE schools, the labbie is asked to, Only do the paper work for other depts, The head teacher of each dept, make a record of there chemcials, and we only record it on spread sheet or chemwatch, we do not need to go and have a look, its up to the head teacher only. Gosh I hope this makes sense to you Emma.Hunt?

DoE school.
Yes that makes sense, thank you.
I'm only here 2 days a week to help the full time labbie. And I've been told everyone is too busy to get it done and I'm here to go collect the details.
Before I was here I the labbie told me she would email them and ask for their stocktake but they'd be so lazy and not get back to her.
Oh well...
Thanks again for your reply

Have a word with the Principal, he is aduit once a year, and most years they require the chemical stock for the whole school. He can have a word with the Heads of Dept, a word from him/her goes a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng way. We would print out last years stock take for each dept, and give it too the Principal, and he would give it out at there weekly meeting. Work very well indeed.