Page ContentThe NIH is committed to preventing the release of antibiotics that can reach the ecosystem. The preferred and reliable method for inactivating antibiotics is autoclaving. Antibiotic waste must be treated differently depending on its stability. If inactivation by methods other than autoclaving is proposed prior to the drain disposal, it must first be approved by the Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) through the Application for Disposal of Specific Chemical Reagents to the Sanitary Sewer. PublishingPageContent2 PublishingPageContent3