EXHIBITION SPACE

iGEM Decontamination and sterilization

iGEM has a strict ‘do not release’ policy ( https://2019.igem.org/Safety/Do_not_Release ).

In addition to putting engineered or modified organisms into the environment or the body, it covers any products produced by engineered or modified organisms.

Bringing engineered or modified organisms to the Jamboree is not permitted. Products of such organisms can be brought only with special permission from the Safety Committee. There are strict rules about moving engineered or modified organisms between countries, including detailing how they must be transported and labelled. There are also rules about bringing them into the USA  - so it is not just iGEM’s rules that you need to think about.

To help you develop a decontamination plan and be able to demonstrate to the Safety Committee that it is safe to bring your equipment or material to the Jamboree, below are a few resources. There are many resources available on the internet on sterilization, disinfection and decontamination. We strongly encourage you to explore them in creating a plan which is best for the work you intend to do:

 
• Chapter 14 on Disinfection and sterilization from the World Health Organization Laboratory Biosafety Manual
• Chapter 15: Decontamination of the Canadian Biosafety Handbook
• Pathogen Safety Data Sheets which provide recommendations on disinfection and physical inactivation of each pathogen
• Training materials on Decontamination, Disinfection and Sterilization provided by the American Biological Safety Association
• Decontamination methods for Lab Use from UC San Diego
• Proper use of a steam autoclave from Arizona State University
• Disinfectants and Sterilization Methods  from University of Colorado Boulder
• An example of what a formal policy on cleaning medical and laboratory equipment, provided by the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.