Bob,
In reply to the sad remark you made,"...assaying the formaldehyde and
mixing the buffer salts would be beyond the skills of most
laboratories...), I must say that this task is a no-brainer compared to
troubleshooting problems with tissue processing, immunohistochemistry
and special stains!  Anatech, LTD makes prepared packets of buffer salts
to add to a 5-gallon batch of recycled formalin.  Their assay kit is a
simple (high school chemistry) titration.  We've been recycling our use
formalin for some time.  We get approximately 8 gallons of reusable 11%
formalin per 10 gallons recycled.  The reconstitution and assay takes
about 5 minutes to perform.  In the future, I hope you will give your
laboratorians more credit.  If they cannot understand simple high school
chemistry or perform written instructions correctly, perhaps a call to
Human Resources is necessary.  After all, you have to make diagnoses
based on their handiwork.
Respectfully,
Bob Santoianni
Emory University Hospital
Atlanta, GA