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Waste products
In common with most manufacturing processes, waste materials are found both during and after the conversion of morphine to heroin. These materials can be broken down into three categories:
(a) The empty containers in which the raw materials and chemicals were wrapped or stored,
(b) Chemical waste,
(c) Fumes.
Empty Containers
and
Most of the chemicals used in the manufacture of heroin are not com- monly used for other purposes. Some chemists take precautions in the disposal of waste products; others do not and may discard them together with ordinary household rubbish. An observant person spotting such items may well stumble across a heroin factory.
The normal containers of the various chemicals used in the manufacture of heroin have already been described. The larger of these, such as plastic jerrycans used to contain acetic an- hydride, may be kept in the premises and put to some domestic use, but smaller bottles, like strychnine hydro- chloride, scopolamine hydrobromide and chloroform bottles, are usually discarded.
Chemical Waste
During the manufacture of both No. 3 and No. 4 heroin the chloroform
solution used to remove impurities may be an almost black viscous solu- tion which is discarded. Sodium acetate or ammonium acetate solu- tions, produced after the precipitation of diacetylmorphine, may also be con- sidered as waste.
At this factory, the chemist packed empty containers into suitcases for disposal, rather than discarding them with household rubbish. (NTK/CCB/1593/1975)
Activated charcoal, which may be found on filter paper used in a Buchner funnel, is also discarded. It will contain impurities and traces of heroin.
Fumes
The smell produced during the manu- facturing process is often a blend of odours created by a number of the chemicals used, however the predom- inant odour will vary at each stage. Although chemists usually attempt to limit the escape of such fumes, they are normally detectable from outside premises where heroin manufacturing is in process.
The fumes of acetic anhydride are most intense at the beginning of the process when the chemical is being transferred initially to the heating vessel, and during the heating period when the lid is removed in order to stir the mixture. At this stage the odour is strongly irritant and resembles acetic acid.
In the production of No. 4 heroin, a considerable quantity of highly volatile ether is used and the odour of ether may permeate the premises.
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