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Chemical Waste Compatibility Chart
Segregation of Chemicals by Type:
Refer to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for specific incompatibilities
Many chemicals in your lab may react adversely when combined, whether during an experimental protocol, accidentally when spilled, or when waste mixtures are improperly consolidated for disposal. It’s recommended that incompatible chemicals are stored in separate areas of your lab when feasible. It’s impossible, of course, to cover all reaction hazards in this document, but here are some general suggestions.
Separate acids from
Bases (possible violent exothermic reaction)
Most metals (production of flammable hydrogen gas)
Cyanides (forms toxic and flammable hydrogen cyanide gas)
Sulfides (forms toxic and flammable hydrogen sulfide gas)
Azides (may form explosive hydrazoic acid)
Phosphides (may form toxic and flammable phosphene gas)
Oxidizers (may form toxic and/or explosive compounds)
Separate oxidizers from
Acids (may form toxic and/or explosive compounds) (For example: concentrated sulfuric acid mixed with chlorates or perchlorates forms explosive compounds)
Organic materials (especially when mixed with flammables, may ignite)
Metals (may form explosive compounds)
Reducing agents (for example: boranes, hydrides, sodium hydrosulfite, etc.)
Ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous)
Separate water-reactive chemicals from
Aqueous solutions and in many cases just the moisture in the air (for example: metal hydrides, alkali metals and certain metal dusts in moist air will form hydrogen gas and ignite; halosilanes and acid halides will react with water to form toxic acid gases)