Debbie, Please, NEVER EVER open a container that you even slightly suspect might maybe contain ether peroxide. If you do, and if it did contain ether peroxide, you can blow your arm off and have a nice big hole in your belly. In my personal experience, this happened to a young man with an "empty" container. Fortunately, he survived -- after several weeks in the hospital. Jay Young On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 11:29:10 -0700 Debbie Deckerwrites: > At 12:38 PM 4/29/2005 -0500, you wrote: > >Scenario: Ethyl ether in metal container that is over 10 years > old. > >Peroxide content unknown. Container is empty (<3%) to the best of > our > >knowledge. Cap is clear plastic with no visible signs of > peroxides. > >Understand that peroxides can concentrate as the ether evaporates. > > > > Kent: > > Anthony's advice to contract with a reactive chemicals disposal firm > is > excellent. I would add the following couple of details to it. > > What the disposal firm needs to do is remotely open the can and add > a > suitable solvent (ethanol is probably a good choice) then reseal > the can > and dispose as a flammable liquid lab pack, carefully re-labelling > it > according to your local requirements. I don't know if I'd attempt > to bulk > it with other flammable liquids at that point. If the container > comes > apart during the remote opening, well, you've solved your problem, > haven't you? > > Onyx Environmental is a firm we've used - I have no financial or > personal > interest in Onyx. > > > > Hope this helps, > Debbie > > Debbie M. Decker, Campus Chemical Hygiene Officer > Environmental Health and Safety > University of California, Davis > 1 Shields Ave. > Davis, CA 95616 > (530)754-7964/(530)752-4527 (FAX) > dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu > Co-Conspirator to Make the World A > Better Place -- Visit www.HeroicStories.com and join the conspiracy > >
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