Transport, Storage & Disposal

The requirements for the transport, storage and disposal of exempt GMOs are outlined in Part 2 of the Guidance Notes for the Containment of Exempt Dealings. Any other requirements specified by the IBC in their assessment of the dealing must also be adhered to.

Any Notifiable Low Risk Dealing (NLRD) involving transportation, storage or disposal of a GMO must comply with the conditions outlined in the OGTR’s Guidelines for the Transport, Storage and Disposal of GMOs, and must be approved by the IBC as part of your approved dealings.

• There are detailed requirements for the transport of different types of GMOs, and animals, invertebrates or plants containing GMOs. Refer to the requirements for transport of GMOs in Part 1 of the Guidelines for the Transport, Storage and Disposal of GMOs.
  • Additional transport legislation applies to GMOs that are transported via public roads, rail, sea, post or air. See 'Guidelines for the transport of biological materials' for more information.
• Detailed requirements for the storage of GMOs is outlined in Part 2 of the Guidelines for the Transport, Storage and Disposal of GMOs.
  • Storage of whole, viable GM animals, plants, aquatic organisms or invertebrates outside of an approved containment facility of the appropriate class is not permitted.
• Requirements for the disposal of GMOs are described in Part 3 of the Guidelines for the Transport, Storage and Disposal of GMOs. University-specific arrangements for GMO waste disposal via the clinical (yellow) wheelie bins are described in the Record of Training
  • At the University of Adelaide, clinical/biohazard waste wheelie bins containing viable GMOs must have the lid of the bin secured with a red cable tie labelled with “GMO waste”. Contact the Research Compliance Officer for details on how to purchase approved cable ties.
  • Medical waste bins containing viable GMOs must not be left unattended outside of a building while awaiting collection, unless stored in a secured bin cage. 

The conditions for the transport, storage and disposal of biosecurity-controlled goods are described in the import permit for the goods, any directions issued by the Department for your specific goods, and in the applicable Approved Arrangement guidelines for the class and type of biosecurity Approved Arrangement that the goods are directed to or held in.

For biosecurity-controlled goods that are microorganisms or that contain microorganisms, the transport conditions must also comply with Dangerous Goods Regulations if they are transported by public road, rail, sea, post or air. See 'Guidelines for the transport of biological materials' for more information. 

The general requirements for the transport and disposal of microbiological samples are described in Australian/New Zealand Standard 2243.3:2022, which can be accessed via the library.

Transport by public road, rail, sea, air or post must comply with Dangerous Goods Regulations if they are transported by public road, rail, sea or air. See 'Guidelines for the transport of biological materials' for more information.

Storage follows similar principles to those applied to GMOs. The microorganisms must be stored in a secure location under the following conditions:

• All containers of microorganisms must be labelled with a biohazard symbol. All storage containers must have the responsible researcher’s name, and mobile phone number
  • For small tubes, the labels may be applied to a secondary box or vessel where the tubes are stored.
• Microorganisms in a containment facility must not be stored on the bench. They should be transferred to a dedicated storage area, such as an incubator, refrigerator, or dedicated area in a cold room.
• All cultures and organisms being stored inside the facility must be sealed during storage to prevent dissemination of microorganisms and to prevent cross-contamination.
• Microorganisms must be stored under double-containment conditions when outside of a PC2 facility. The samples must be stored inside of a sealed primary container that is placed within a secondary sealed container.
  • The secondary container may, for the purposes of storage, be a fridge, freezer, cupboard or cryotank that is labelled to identify storage of biohazards and includes the name and contact details of the responsible researcher.
  • Where samples in small tubes or containers are stored in fridges, freezers, or cupboards, these must be in an enclosed box to prevent loss of microorganisms in small containers.
• It is necessary to have an accounting system documenting the microorganisms that are held in storage. These records must include detailed storage location (e.g., box and shelf number).

All regulated biological materials, and items that are or may be contaminated with these must be decontaminated prior to disposal or reuse.

All contaminated or potentially contaminated waste, tissue and carcasses, plant material, enrichment material and bedding, soil, cultures, etc. must be decontaminated before or during disposal.

Approved decontamination procedures in your local area will include one or more of the following options:

• Chemical disinfection – e.g., for small volumes of liquid waste.
• Autoclaving.
• Disposal to clinical waste bins for offsite incineration.
• Waste disposal methods as described in DIR or DNIR licences.
• Other local procedures as approved in writing by the OGTR or IBC.

General requirements:

• Work areas and biosafety cabinets must be decontaminated with a suitable disinfectant at the end of each work session.
• Items that are often handled (e.g., door handles, soap dispensers, lab-phones) should be wiped with disinfectant regularly to prevent cross-contamination.
• All work areas, surfaces and equipment must be decontaminated before any maintenance or servicing that occurs in the facility. Equipment and furniture must be decontaminated before removal from the facility. For sensitive or electronic equipment, consult the facility manager before undertaking any decontamination. Special procedures will be required in some cases.
• All decontamination procedures conducted inside the facility must be carried out by authorized and appropriately trained personnel. This means, for example, that only people trained in the use of an autoclave are allowed to use that autoclave to decontaminate waste.
• Reusable labware that has been used in contact with biological materials must be decontaminated with a suitable chemical disinfectant or by autoclaving prior to washing and reuse.
• When using chemical disinfectants for decontamination, the type of disinfectant used will depend on the types of samples or organisms being used. Care must be taken to ensure that the disinfectant selected is effective against any microorganisms that may be present.
  • Some typical disinfectants and their use are described in the IBC’s Decontamination using disinfectants Guidelines.
• Lab gowns or coats that have become contaminated with biological goods (e.g., during a spill, or after being worn at a biosafety cabinet) must be decontaminated by autoclaving before being sent to the laundry service. Where an autoclave is not available soaking in bleach or F10 disinfectant prior to laundering is an acceptable alternative.
• Waste must be segregated and placed in the right bins or containers for disposal. GMO or microbiological waste must be placed into a clinical or biohazard waste bin. Biosecurity waste that has not been treated onsite must be placed into a red quarantine waste wheelie bin.
• Local collection bins must be labelled for the type of waste contained. For GMO and microbiological waste, label with a biohazard symbol and the acronym GMO. Biosecurity waste must be labelled as biosecurity waste and kept segregated from all other waste in the facility. All these bins must be lined with a biohazard bin liner (bag with a biohazard symbol).
• Bins must be emptied before they are overflowing. Any overflow of bins must be treated and decontaminated following methods for microbiological spill clean-up.
• Any autoclave used for the decontamination of regulated biological waste must be maintained, tested and validated in accordance with the conditions of the relevant regulator.

Researchers should also be aware that other regulations may restrict the transport of certain biological samples, including but not limited to the following:

• South Australian biosecurity legislation – restrictions apply to transporting certain biological materials (e.g., plants, livestock, soil, bee products) between states, to Kangaroo Island or the Riverland. Contact PIRSA for further information. 
• CITES – an international agreement protecting threatened species of animals and plants. All import, export, and re-export of specimens from specific wild animals and plants requires a licence. Check the CITES list of affected species and additional domestic measures and apply for permits via the Wildlife Trade Office. 
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – regulates the movement of all native animals, specific listed animals, plants and specimens from these to and from Australia. Permits are required for import, export and re-export. For further information, see the lists and information on the Wildlife Trade Offices’ ‘Do I need a permit’ website.
• Nagoya Protocol – Governs access and benefit-sharing relating to genetic resources from biological samples. The type of permit(s) you may need depends on where the samples are collected. For further information, see the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s website.