Lasers
Safe Disposal of Lasers
To meet laser safety regulations, a laser can be either transferred to another user who is trained and approved for the laser or the laser must be properly disposed of.
To dispose of a laser:
1. Remove and properly dispose of any hazardous materials such as mercury switches, oils, and other chemicals that are contained in the laser system. Consider the need to disposal of laser dyes and solvent solutions.
- Review the manufacturer’s laser system manual for ‘CAUTION!’ statements that list hazardous materials.
2. Disable the laser device by either one of the two following methods:
- Remove all means of activating the laser (remove the power cord and power switches), or
- Destroy the laser hardware so it can not be used again.
3. Properly dispose of any chemical, biological, or radioactive wastes generated from the laser activities.
4. Provide a written statement to the Radiation Protection Office that any hazardous materials have been properly disposed of and the laser system inactivated prior to disposal. This statement will include the laser manufacturer and model number as well at the laser registration number.
Email radiation_protection at harvard dot edu to send comments and suggestions to the Radiation Protection Office
