[Legal and technical issues of formalin disposition in association with autopsy]

The Ministry of Public Welfare notified on the disposition of formalin, which was used in the histological examination in association with forensic or pathological autopsy. However, those who concerned on the issue had not known exactly how they dispose formalin. The news on the illegal disposition of formalin from our department drew attention to the legal disposition of formalin. These situations led us to investigate the legal and technical aspects of formalin disposition. We examined the legally-described methods such as oxidation, incineration and activated sludge processes and other methods such as formose, supercritical water oxidation, and wet oxidation processes. From legal point of view, we must process poisonous formaldehyde into non-poisonous products under the control of The Poisonous and Peleterious? Substances Control Law. Additionally, the products are under the control of The Sewage Water Law and Water Pollution Control Law, particularly in terms of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). After careful investigation, we tentatively conclude that incineration method is the best at present, though the supercritical oxidation and wet oxidation processes may be better in order to cope with the worldwide movement toward the control of environmental hormones and warm climate.