The NMR Facility is a user facility. As such, users doing experiments which generate medical waste are expected to know and follow all EH&S regulations regarding the handling of medical waste. As a service to the users, the NMR Facility provides containers for sharps (needles, broken glass, etc.). Users are expected to use them as necessary. As the containers become full, NMR Facility personnel will take them to the autoclaves in MS1-A for autoclaving. The NMR Facility will then call EH&S for pick-up.

Medical wastes as the result of studies on human tissue, primate tissue, or material containing known human pathogens are to be disposed by the user in an approved manner OUTSIDE of the NMR Facility. The user's home department should provide facilities for disposal.

The NMR facility provides limited space for users to perform surgery on laboratory animals. Such users must have current animal protocol approval from the Animal Use and Care Administrative Advisory Committee (AUCAAC) to perform surgery. While animal remains or not strictly medical waste, it can be as messy and unpleasant as medical waste. Carcasses and body parts cannot go into regular waste receptacles. UC Davis' landfill permits do not permit disposal of animal carcasses. Placing animal parts in the regular trash will result in substantial fines to the campus (in the neighborhood of 5 figures). If EH&S can figure out who did it, they will pass the fines on to the offending department. Thus users are expected to clean up after themselves and make sure any waste that is generated (such as dead animals, spilled blood, etc.) is disposed of properly OUTSIDE of the NMR Facility. The user's home department should provide these facilities.

Failure to clean up medical or animal waste will be reported to either EH&S or the campus veterinarian as appropriate. Their actions may include fines and/or suspension of protocols (which of course would shutdown experiments).