How to Dispose of Nitric Acid
In this article, we’ll address specifically how to dispose of nitric acid. Like most acids, nitric acid can be neutralized prior to disposal. This chemical reaction greatly reduces the hazardous risks of nitric acid, helping your business to comply with the three tenants of proper waste disposal. The reaction must be completed safely, which we’ll explain in this article.

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Lab Alley
Proper disposal of chemical reagents is essential for three reasons:
- Legal complianceWorker and environmental safety
- Minimizing business/laboratory expenses
- All labs and businesses working with hazardous chemicals must comply with the regulations set in place by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and local jurisdiction.
These regulations are in place to minimize risks to workers handling hazardous chemicals.Chemical waste disposal can be expensive for labs and businesses. Businesses must schedule waste pick-up from a hazardous waste disposal company. Minimizing your hazardous waste is one way to cut business costs. It will also reduce costs from replacing expired or spilled reagents.
Fall in Love with our Natural Chemicals
At Lab Alley, we pride ourselves on our three core offerings of natural, pure, essential chemicals, catering to the diverse needs of over 16 industries nationwide. We believe that high quality chemicals are the building blocks to innovation and progress towards a better world.
What is a natural chemical?
To the layman, the phrase “natural chemical” may sound like an oxymoron. In today’s world, chemical and toxin are so often equated that it becomes difficult to remember that literally everything is composed of chemicals – including everything in nature.
We use the word “natural” to differentiate naturally-derived chemicals from synthetic chemicals, or chemicals that are made in a lab. To make things more confusing, we sometimes synthetize chemicals that are otherwise available naturally. The synthetic forms are chemically identical to the natural versions, but they may have a different environmental footprint. The synthetic version of a naturally-available chemical may be cheaper and better for the environment, or simply more available. The opposite can also be true.
One thing is for sure: “natural” is generally the more desirable form from a consumer perspective. This can be a harmless fallacy, but it can also make things difficult from a business perspective, since business decisions are ultimately driven by consumer preference. Exploiting existing consumer narratives about chemicals is often an easier and more effective marketing strategy compared to attempting to re-educate consumers.
All of this is related to the tendency for consumers to equate “natural” with “safe.” As we discussed above, often natural chemicals and synthetic chemicals are identical. And, for that matter, some of the most toxic substances known to man come from nature.
Why choose natural chemicals?
Natural chemicals, as well as naturally-derived chemicals, may not always be better than synthetic chemicals, but on the other hand, sometimes they are. This can be either an inherent value, or value in the context of a regulatory or marketing advantage.
One of our best sellers, ethanol, is an excellent example. Ethanol can be synthesized via the catalytic hydration of ethylene, but it can also be “naturally” derived via fermentation of sugar. Which production option is economically advantageous depends on many variables, including the price of petroleum and crops.
Interestingly, bioethanol (ethanol produced via fermentation of plants) is most commonly made using corn or sugarcane as a starting material. Both of these options create a final product that is considered a natural chemical. Yet, even within this category, corn-ethanol and sugarcane-ethanol have various pros and cons compared to each other. For example, in the United States, corn is considered the domestic option. But sugarcane ethanol is more efficient and preferable in almost all other respects. It requires less pre-processing, and ultimately results in a much cleaner product that requires less clean-up. As you can see, “natural” or not, there is lots of nuance to chemical production.
Aside from factors that are inherent to the chemical itself, there are also regulatory and marketing factors to consider. From a regulatory standpoint, the FDA may limit the addition of food additives to natural versions only. For example, in the food industry it is common practice to manipulate flavor and taste by adding aromatic compounds to foods and beverages. The FDA may require that these chemical compounds be naturally-derived, even if they are chemically identical to their synthetic analogs.
From a marketing consideration, consumers often look for the word “natural” on labels. Although chemists, product developers, and business owners may know better, natural chemicals still hold a certain appeal for consumers – and consumers ultimately make the final call on whether or not a product is successful. It is easier to exploit existing consumer beliefs about natural chemicals than it is to focus marketing campaigns on teaching chemistry to prospective customers.
In summary, you have three reasons to fall in love with our natural chemicals:
1. Natural chemicals are sometimes inherently better than their synthetic analogs.
2. Natural chemicals are more acceptable in a regulatory context.
3. Consumers often look for the word “natural” on product labels.
That is why Lab Alley makes it our business to provide you with the highest purity, essential, natural chemicals available. We understand that these chemicals are the prerequisite to your business success.
Lab Alley is your proud partner in natural chemical supply
Fall in love with our natural chemical product line, including certified kosher, halal, organic, vegan, food grade, and pharmaceutical grade options for all your industry needs. Shop today on our easy-to-navigate website, with no hassle ordering, and speedy delivery.
Buy Isopropyl Alcohol NowWhere to restock on nitric acid
Now that you’ve disposed of your expired or degraded nitric acid, you will need to restock with a high-quality replacement from a supplier you trust. Lab Alley offers high quality nitric acid at competitive pricing, with a no-hassle ordering process, and fast delivery.



Conclusion
Chemical waste disposal can be expensive for labs and businesses. Businesses must schedule waste pick-up from a hazardous waste disposal company. Minimizing your hazardous waste is one way to cut business costs. It will also reduce costs from replacing expired or spilled reagents.