Although it is common practice for chemists and lab workers to leave open funnels on waste containers, it's is out of compliance with EPA, OSHA, and some local Fire Code regulations and may result in fines over $5,000. This applies even when the waste container is under a fume hood, which still allows evaporation at a rate of 30-60mL per day.

The ECO Funnel™ is designed to address these concerns and to help laboratories stay compliant with local health and safety codes. San Diego's Fire Marshall, Steve Carroll, said about the ECO Funnel™:

"The ECO Funnel is an ideal containment system that eliminates the
danger of ignited vapors and spills from open chemical waste containers."

The ECO Funnel™ is the ultimate lab safety product for collection of hazardous liquid waste.
Its unique, patented design performs two functions, acting as both a sealed waste container and a solvent funnel.

• Solves “the open waste container problem.”
• Prevents emissions of 99.9% of volatile waste solvents, acids, and bases in the laboratory.
• Maintains an average cost of approximately $0.07 per day, assuming a four-year product use.
• Has a unique, patented design that meets most local, state and federal safety regulations and requirements.
• May be used again and again and resists nearly all corrosive chemicals.
• Is considered a state of the art product by environmental health and safety officers and industry professionals.
• Is widely used in Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Academic and Government laboratories and is widely used.

Pupose & Benefits

Prevents fuming - An open waste container sitting in a fume hood evaporates at a rate of 30-60 mL per day. Some of the fumes that are evaporating in the hood return into the building through the fresh air ventilation system. The use of the ECO Funnel™ will prevent toxic emissions and promote a healthier lab and surrounding area.

Extend the life of your ductless fume hoods with an ECO Funnel™- Typically a ductless fumehood has no ventilation to the outside and is a self containing filtering apparatus. It is important not to unnecessarily overwhelm its charcoal filters. We recommend the use of the Safety ECO Funnels™ whenever possible.

Clean Water

Chemists use volatile solvents such as acetone or isopropyl alcohol to wash their
glassware in the sink. The Safety ECOFunnel™:

• Facilitates the collection of waste solvent.
• Makes sink solvent disposals easier and safer.
• Reduces the chance of spillage and contamination.
• Helps comply with waste solvent regulations.

Clean Lab

Safety Officers find that an entire lab can benefit from the Safety ECO Funnel™ which:

• Is a simple and cost-effective way to control emissions and reduce fire hazard.
• Minimizes the exposure of lab personnel to toxic fumes.
• Reduces odor around the lab and protects users from odorless inhalants such as dichlormethane.
• Prevents the chance of cross contamination during lab procedures.

Purchasing

The ECO Funnel™ can be purchased individually or as part of a complete system. All systems include a waste container and 4" or 8" ECO Funnel™. Some systems also include a secondary container for extra stability and spill control.

Systems that include secondary containers fulfill EPA Regulations for liquid containment. The Federal Regulation states that containers that contain free liquid must also be contained to prevent spills due to accidental breakage of the primary container.

"The containment unit must underlie the containers and must be free of cracks or gaps and be sufficiently impervious to contain leaks, spills and accumulated precipitation." (EPA 40 CFR 264.175)

HPLC ECO Funnels™ are equipped with an HPLC fitting located on the side of the body of the ECO Funnel™, allowing the operator to connect the HPLC waste line directly to the Funnel. At your request, we can add one or more HPLC adapters to your ECO Funnel™(s).

FAQ

Do ECO Funnels™ resist common laboratory solvents?
Common laboratory solvents such as acetone, hexane, acetonitrile, etc. are fine to use with the ECO Funnel™, as are most other chemical solvents.

I use a 1 Gallon amber bottle to collect waste. Is there an ECO Funnels™ that I could purchase separately to use with my 1 Gallon bottle? And what is the cap size?
Yes, any ECO Funnel™ with a 38-430 closure will work. They come either in 8" (EF-3004C),
or 4" (EF-4-38) top diameter.

Do you have an ECO Funnels™ available for a 5 Gallon stackable carboy, or a 30 or 55 Gallon Drum?
Yes, it can be special ordered from us.

Would an ECO Funnel™ comply with the regulations for emission of volatile from open waste containers?
Yes. The primary function of the ECO Funnel™ is to reduce the emission of volatile solvents to near zero, while providing a measure of convenience in handling temporary waste in the lab.

Are there any chemicals to be avoided?
Yes, you should avoid strong acids, bases and oxidizers.

Can the ECO Funnels™ be kept on the waste bottle 24 hrs a day?
We recommend that the ECO Funnel™ be used in a similar manner as any frequently used funnel. ECO Funnels™ will cut down on fume evaporation and reduce exposure risk to the end-user and the occupants of the building. ECO Funnel™ is to be used for collection of temporary waste only. The waste generated must be transferred to a more permanent container (drum) frequently.

I have a favorite bottle that I use for collecting waste. Can you make an ECO Funnels™ for my bottle?
Yes, they can be special ordered on a custom project basis. Customer must provide enough information about the containers or a sample of the container with the cap. A price quote will be provided.