| name | waste-disposal-guide |
| description | Guide for disposing specific chemical wastes into the correct colored waste containers, with safety precautions and regulatory compliance notes. |
| license | MIT |
| author | aipoch |
Source: https://github.com/aipoch/medical-research-skills
Waste Disposal Guide
Guide for disposing specific chemical wastes into the correct colored waste containers.
Quick Check
python -m py_compile scripts/main.py
python scripts/main.py --help
When to Use
- Use this skill when identifying the correct waste container for a specific chemical.
- Use this skill when reviewing waste categories and safety precautions for laboratory chemicals.
- Do not use this skill for emergency spill response, disposal of radioactive materials, or regulated biological waste requiring special handling.
Workflow
- Confirm the chemical name or waste type to look up.
- Validate that the request is for standard laboratory chemical waste disposal guidance.
- Look up the chemical in the waste category database and return the correct container color and safety notes.
- Mixture handling: If the user provides a mixture (e.g., "chloroform + ethanol"), identify the most hazardous component and assign the container for that component. Emit a note: "Mixed waste containing halogenated solvents must go into the halogenated (orange) container regardless of other components."
- If the chemical is not found, state that clearly and suggest the closest category based on chemical class.
- If inputs are incomplete, state which fields are missing and request only the minimum additional information.
Usage
python scripts/main.py --chemical "chloroform"
python scripts/main.py --chemical "ethanol"
python scripts/main.py --list-categories
python scripts/main.py --safety
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|
--chemical | string | No | Chemical name to look up |
--list-categories | flag | No | List all waste categories |
--safety | flag | No | Show safety notes for all categories |
Waste Categories
| Container | Color | Accepts |
|---|
| Halogenated | Orange | Chloroform, DCM, halogenated solvents |
| Non-halogenated | Red | Ethanol, acetone, organic solvents |
| Aqueous | Blue | Water-based solutions, buffers |
| Acid | Yellow | Acids (dilute/concentrated) |
| Base | White | Bases, alkali solutions |
| Heavy Metal | Gray | Mercury, lead, cadmium waste |
| Solid | Black | Gloves, paper, solid debris |
Mixture rule: When a waste stream contains both halogenated and non-halogenated solvents, use the halogenated (orange) container. When in doubt, consult your institution's EHS office.
Output
- Correct container color and category for the queried chemical
- Disposal instructions and safety precautions
- Notes on incompatible waste streams
Scope Boundaries
- This skill covers standard laboratory chemical waste categories; it does not cover radioactive, biological, or controlled substance waste.
- Local regulations may differ; always verify with your institution's EHS office before disposal.
- This skill does not provide emergency spill response guidance.
Stress-Case Rules
For complex multi-constraint requests, always include these explicit blocks:
- Assumptions
- Chemical(s) Queried
- Disposal Guidance
- Safety Notes
- Risks and Manual Checks
Error Handling
- If required inputs are missing, state exactly which fields are missing and request only the minimum additional information.
- If the task goes outside the documented scope, stop instead of guessing or silently widening the assignment.
- If
scripts/main.py fails, report the failure point, summarize what still can be completed safely, and provide a manual fallback.
- Do not fabricate disposal categories or safety classifications for unknown chemicals.
Input Validation
This skill accepts: a chemical name or waste type for container color lookup and disposal guidance.
If the request does not involve standard laboratory chemical waste disposal — for example, asking for emergency spill response, radioactive waste handling, biological waste disposal, or regulatory compliance certification — do not proceed with the workflow. Instead respond:
"waste-disposal-guide is designed to identify the correct waste container and disposal instructions for standard laboratory chemicals. Your request appears to be outside this scope. Please provide a chemical name, or use a more appropriate tool for specialized waste streams."
Response Template
Use the following fixed structure for non-trivial requests:
- Objective
- Inputs Received
- Assumptions
- Workflow
- Deliverable
- Risks and Limits
- Next Checks
If the request is simple, you may compress the structure, but still keep assumptions and limits explicit when they affect correctness.
