Cadmium oxide (CAS 1306-19-0): storage and disposal
Cadmium oxide is a heavy brown powder held as legacy stock in school, college and university stores. It is fatal if inhaled, may cause cancer and damages organs through repeated exposure, and it is suspected of causing genetic defects and of harming fertility and the unborn child. It is also very toxic to aquatic life. Its dust decides how it is handled, and its plain colour means a label is the only thing that identifies it.
- CAS number
- 1306-19-0
- Form
- Solid
- Storage class
- Toxic
- Signal word
- Danger
- Usual EWC code
- 16 05 06*
Acute toxicity
Serious health hazard
Hazardous to the environment
What to do this week
- Check the label is readable and write down the opened date if it is not already there.
- Check it is stored as toxic stock and apart from the items listed under "Do not store with".
- If you no longer need it, add it to your disposal list so it goes on the next collection.
Safe storage in a school or lab
Usually it arrives in a small jar of dense brown powder, which on a crowded shelf could be taken for rust or iron oxide. That mistake is the one to design out. Give the jar a clear label naming cadmium, keep it in a locked toxic cabinet with a stock record, and keep it away from the metal oxides it resembles. The powder is fine enough to hang in the air if tipped or spilled, and the classification is fatal if inhaled, so the jar should sit low and on a tray, where a knock will not throw it to the floor. Acids and oxidisers have their own store. Food and drink stay well away. Do not put it on open shelving in a demonstration area.
How to tell it has deteriorated
Start with the lid and the label, since a brown powder without a legible name could be almost anything. Corroded lids, a label worn thin by handling and traces of brown dust on the thread are the common faults on legacy jars. The oxide itself changes little with age and gives few visible signs. Shades from yellowish brown to very dark are all within what it can look like, so a colour difference between two jars means little and is not a reason to compare them with the lids off. Caking suggests damp reached it. Brown dust on a shelf points to a failed seal and should be left undisturbed. Record any missing stock entry at the same time.
How it must be disposed of
By specialist collection only. It never goes down the drain or into general waste. It is normally packed in a toxic laboratory pack with compatible chemicals.
Note the label wording, the jar size, how full it looks and whether any powder lies outside it before asking for a collection. Say plainly that it is cadmium oxide if the label is clear, and describe it as an unidentified brown powder found with cadmium stock if it is not. In a lab pack it joins compatible toxic solids, with no acids or oxidisers alongside, and its usual code is 16 05 06*. A loose lid matters, because of the dust. Specialist collection is the only way out. It must not reach a sink, a drain, a general waste bin or a skip, given how toxic it is to aquatic life, and nobody should try to treat it or transfer the powder first.
| EWC code, laboratory chemicals | 16 05 06* |
|---|---|
| Discarded inorganic chemical, not a laboratory pack | 16 05 07* |
| Hazardous waste | Yes |
The code depends on where the waste came from and what it is mixed with. Use the waste code finder to see why.
Do not store with
- OxidiserToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- AcidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Named chemicals to keep apart
- Acetic acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Calcium hypochloriteToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Hydrochloric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Hydrogen peroxideToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Nitric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Potassium nitrateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Potassium permanganateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Sulfuric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Common quantities we collect
Usually held as: legacy stock.
Part-used bottles and full containers are both fine. Tell us the size and how many, and an estimate is enough for a first price.
Where it is commonly held
Hazard statements
- H330 Fatal if inhaled.
- H341 Suspected of causing genetic defects.
- H350 May cause cancer.
- H361fd Suspected of damaging fertility. Suspected of damaging the unborn child.
- H372 Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
- H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Precautionary statements
- P203 Obtain, read and follow all safety instructions before use.
- P260 Do not breathe dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
- P264 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
- P270 Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- P273 Avoid release to the environment.
- P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
- P284 In case of inadequate ventilation wear respiratory protection.
- P304+P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
- P316 Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P318 If exposed or concerned, get medical advice.
- P319 Get medical help if you feel unwell.
- P320 Specific treatment is urgent (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
- P391 Collect spillage.
- P403+P233 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
- P405 Store locked up.
- P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations.
Substance as classified, dilutions may differ.
Questions
How can we tell this brown powder from iron oxide?
Only a reliable label can tell you. Colour is not a safe guide and you should not test it. If the name is missing, record it as an unidentified brown powder, say what it was stored beside, and keep it closed in the locked cabinet until it is collected.
Our jar is darker than another one labelled the same. Is one of them bad?
Probably neither. The oxide can range from yellowish brown to very dark, and that difference says little about age or condition. Both stay in the locked toxic store and neither needs opening. Note the difference on the collection request if you want a record of it.
We dropped a sealed jar and the lid held. Do we need to do anything?
Look for cracks and for dust outside the jar without opening it. If it is sound, return it to its tray in the locked cabinet. If there is any powder outside or a crack, leave the area, keep others out and get specialist advice before cleaning anything.