Tin(IV) chloride (CAS 7646-78-8): storage and disposal
Old stoppered bottles of fuming stannic chloride still turn up at the back of school and college prep rooms and in university teaching stores. It is a corrosive liquid that gives off hydrochloric acid mist in moist air and reacts violently with water. That one reaction sets how it is shelved, how a tired bottle is judged and how it is packed for collection.
- CAS number
- 7646-78-8
- Form
- Liquid
- Storage class
- Corrosive
- Signal word
- Danger
- Usual EWC code
- 16 05 06*
Corrosive
Harmful or irritant
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 corrosive 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
Violent reaction with water decides where this liquid sits. It belongs on a resistant tray in a ventilated corrosive store, on the lowest shelf, well away from ammonia solution, formalin, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite and any other water based stock, because moisture releases heat and corrosive gas. The mist it gives off in damp air corrodes shelving, so metal fittings nearby deserve a look. Keep it clear of oxidisers and of containers that a leak could attack. A tightly closed bottle standing in a lidded secondary container keeps room humidity away from the stopper. In a school prep room it should not share a shelf with the aqueous reagents.
How to tell it has deteriorated
A sound bottle holds a clear liquid with little more than a faint haze of vapour near the stopper. Trouble shows as white or grey crust around the neck and cap, where moist air has reached the liquid and left solid residue. Pale mist curling out when the stopper is touched means the seal has failed. Look for pitted shelf surfaces, rusting metal nearby and a label lifted or stained by acid vapour. Cracked glass, or a cap that has fused to the neck, should never be forced. A bottle with any of these features, or no record of when it arrived, stays closed and where it is until collection is arranged.
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 corrosive other laboratory pack with compatible chemicals.
Packed in a compatible group inside a lab pack, in UN approved packaging that keeps it clear of anything water bearing, this liquid travels as UN 1827 under waste code 16 05 06*. Where it is a discarded inorganic chemical outside a lab pack, the code is 16 05 07*. Record how much is left, the state of the cap and whether it fumes. Fuming stock is the awkward part, because the packer must never need to open anything. Specialist collection is the only route. Nobody should pour it away, put it in a bin or add water to settle the fumes, and no one on site should try to treat it.
| 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
- FlammableA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
- OxidiserCorrosive stock can react with oxidisers, releasing heat or fumes.
Named chemicals to keep apart
- AcetoneA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
- Ammonia solutionReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
- Calcium hypochloriteCorrosive stock can react with oxidisers, releasing heat or fumes.
- EthanolA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
- FormalinReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
- HexaneA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
- Hydrochloric acidReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
- Hydrogen peroxideReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
Show 6 more
- MethanolA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
- Potassium nitrateCorrosive stock can react with oxidisers, releasing heat or fumes.
- Potassium permanganateCorrosive stock can react with oxidisers, releasing heat or fumes.
- Sodium hydroxideReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
- Sodium hypochloriteReacts with water, releasing heat and often a flammable or corrosive gas, so keep it away from all water based stock.
- TolueneA leak of corrosive stock can break down flammable containers and feed a fire.
Common quantities we collect
Usually held as: fuming liquid, 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
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
- H335 May cause respiratory irritation.
- H412 Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Precautionary statements
- P260 Do not breathe dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
- P264 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
- P273 Avoid release to the environment.
- P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
- P301+P330+P331 IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth. Do NOT induce vomiting.
- P302+P361+P354 IF ON SKIN: Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Immediately rinse with water for several minutes.
- P304+P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing.
- P305+P354+P338 IF IN EYES: Immediately rinse with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
- P316 Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P321 Specific treatment (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
- P363 Wash contaminated clothing before reuse.
- P405 Store locked up.
- P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations.
- P261 Avoid breathing dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray.
- P264+P265 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling. Do not touch eyes.
- P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- P317 Get medical help.
- P319 Get medical help if you feel unwell.
- P403+P233 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
Substance as classified, dilutions may differ.
Questions
Can we still arrange collection if the bottle fumes or the cap has crusted over?
Yes. Leave it closed, note the crust and any fuming on the booking, and keep it standing on its tray away from water. Collection is by specialist carrier, and the condition you describe helps decide how the bottle is packed.
Why is it kept away from hydrochloric acid when both are acids?
Aqueous hydrochloric acid contains water, and this liquid reacts violently with water, releasing heat and corrosive gas. The separation is about water content, so any bottle of water based stock is treated the same way, as well as the acids.
Does a bottle of stannic chloride go off with age?
The liquid does not spoil in a visible way, but the closure does. Moist air creeps past an old stopper, leaving crust and mist and corroding nearby fittings. Date bottles when they arrive and look at the neck and shelf during every stock check.
Is it fine to leave legacy stock in the prep room cupboard until we clear out?
An intact, securely closed bottle can remain in suitable segregated storage pending collection. Crusting, visible fumes, leakage or a damaged closure should be reported promptly for specialist assessment. Do not attempt to open or reposition a compromised bottle.
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