Bactec

["Wil van der Putten" <wilvdp@tinet.ie>]

With respect to BACTEC bottles. I wonder if anybody can help. 

Disposal of the bottles used to be autoclaving, followed by incineration.
However the national EPA has shut down all incinerators and the only option
left is disposal through the sewer. (There is no landfill for low level
waste and exporting is too big a burocratic nightmare to even begin to
consider. Incidently, Ireland is exporting currently ALL its' clinical
waste !)

I looked at a bottlecrusher to crack the bottles and rinse the C14 liquid
away. Although it worked -under scientific control- , the potential for
contamination of the operator is quite high, especially considering the
skill level of same and I have abandoned the method. We are currently
storing the bottles.

I wonder if there is a device commercially available which can suck the
bottles empty without damaging them and with a very small probability to
contaminate the operator ? Any suggestions would be greatfully received !