Liz Nora asked:

>This may be this is a stupid question.  I was just wondering what you should do
>with artifacts when you find out they still contain certain things.  I just
>found a few things that trouble me.  The first is a Zippo lighter given as a
>gift.  The fluid container is significant but it is still full of fluid.  Do
>I empty it?  If I do, how should I safely dispose of it?  Are you supposed
>to clean the container?  I also found two cans of full paint (significant
>for its provenance) and a bottle of half-used mineral oil?  What should I
>do?  Any advice would be helpful. Thanks,

In an ideal world, a conservator would not interfere with the contents of the
items above. However, bak in the real world, you will have to consider several
things before you reach a compromise. Firstly, you have to decide some
priorities. Your highest priority should be the health and safety of the staff
and and visitors at your museum, followed by the safety of the collection, and
finally the safety of inidividual collection items. A Zippo light containing
fluid constitutes a fire hazard. You should either remove the fluid or store the
lighter in an approved fire-proof cabinet. Your local fire brigade may be able
to assist you in disposal of the fluid. The mineral oil is a lot less flammable
than the light fluid, but you should still consider storing it in a fire-proof
cabinet. The paint cans may or may not be a fire hazard, depending on the type
of paint, and how old it is. If it's an alkyd enamel, or acrylic lacquer type
that is still fluid, then you have a fire hazard, and it should be stored in a
fire-proof cabinet. Fire-proof cabinets are of the type that laboratories store
solvents and other flammable substances in. They are not overly expensive, and
come in a range of sizes.

Hope this helps.

George Bailey
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial

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