8. Solid Medical Waste Disposal Procedures Chart

Used for ─

All:

      Needles with or without syringes or tubing

      Blades (razors, scalpels, etc.)

Contaminated only with medical/biohazardous waste:

      Broken glass

      Glass pipettes

      Microscope slides

      Other sharp items

Used for ─

      Any solid contaminated with medical/
biohazardous waste that does not go into a sharps container or a pathology container

      Can accept sharps containers

Used for ─

      Animal carcasses

      Large tissue specimens

      Recognizable human or animal body parts and tissues

Used for ─

     Red-bagged regulated medical waste from lab containers

     Clear-bagged biohazardous waste from lab containers

     Regulated medical waste sharps containers

     Unregulated waste sharps containers

Bag color:

      Regulated medical waste sharps must be deposited into a container lined with a red bag.

      Unregulated waste sharps may go into a lab container lined with a clear bag or into the pickup container lined with a red bag.

Bag color:

      Regulated medical waste must be deposited into a container lined with a red bag.

      Unregulated biohazardous waste goes into a container lined with a clear bag.

Bag color:

      Store regulated medical pathology waste in a closed red bag in the freezer.

      Store unregulated pathology waste in a closed clear bag in the freezer.

      Line the pathology pickup container with a red bag. This container accepts all pathology waste.

Bag color:

Line the pickup container with a red bag. This container accepts clear-bagged waste and red-bagged waste in the same pickup container.

Labels:

      Regulated medical waste sharps must have the biohazard label or symbol.

      Unregulated waste sharps are labeled unregulated sharps.

Labels:

Lab containers for medical/biohazardous must have biohazard labels or symbols.

Labels:

      Write your name and extension plus the date waste is put into freezer on the bagged waste.

      The pathology pickup container is labeled biohazard and pathology waste.

Labels:

Pickup containers must have biohazard labels or symbols.

Storage time limit:

Sharps containers may be used until they are 2/3 full. Dispose of the sharps container the same day it is closed.

Storage time limit:

      Dispose of regulated medical waste (red bag) weekly.

      Transfer unregulated biohazardous waste (clear bag) when the bag is full.

Storage time limit:

Best-management practice is to store pathology waste in the freezer for no more than 7 days. The maximum amount of time regulated pathology waste is allowed to be stored in the freezer is 90 days.

Storage time limit:

Pickup containers with waste must be removed for treatment every 7 days.

Disposal: Close the sharps container when 2/3 full. Dispose of in either a lab container or a pickup container. Fill out a Medical Waste Accumulation Log.

Disposal: Tie or tape the bag closed and carry it in the lab container to the pickup container. Fill out a Medical Waste Accumulation Log.

Disposal: Transfer bagged waste to pathology pickup container for contractor to pickup for offsite treatment and disposal. Fill out a Medical Waste Accumulation Log.

Disposal: Contractor picks up the waste weekly for offsite treatment and disposal.