PROCEDURES FOR THE DISPOSAL OF INFECTIOUS WASTE
All laboratories or areas utilizing blood, blood products, body fluids and/or etiologic agents must have proper disposal containers.
Burn Boxes (cardboard disposal boxes) labeled for BIOHAZARD WASTE are to be used for disposing of all glass items that have come in contact with or contain blood/blood products or etiologic agents (test tubes, slides, pipettes, blood collection tubes, etc.). Unbroken contaminated glass must be discarded in this box. These biohazard boxes are to be used only once. Prior to transportation, each burn box must be placed inside an orange autoclave bag having the biohazard symbol with a properly completed Laboratory Waste label affixed to the bag. The opening of the bag must be closed and sealed with a rubber band or wire tie.
All needles, lancets and syringes are to be discarded into red plastic puncture proof containers labeled for SHARPS. All broken contaminated glass must also be discarded in this container.
A sharp is considered to be, but is not limited to, the following items: needles, scalpels, razor blades, microhematocrit tubes (used or unused) and all broken contaminated and broken uncontaminated glass or any other material which may puncture the skin. Broken uncontaminated glass or any other uncontaminated item which may puncture the skin should be disposed of in a puncture proof container as to not cause injury to the person handling the container.
Liquid cultures are to be disposed of by placing test tubes containing the cultures into test tub racks and placing the racks onto a stainless steel tray. If flasks are used to store cultures, they too can be placed on the tray. If liquid cultures cannot remain in test tubes or flasks, contact Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and alternate methods can be discussed. Stainless steel trays can be obtained from EHS.
Place all contaminated gloves, swabs, plate cultures of etiologic agents and absorbent paper products used to clean up spills in disposal bins that are lined with two (double bagged) biohazard bags.
For occupants of Cushwa Hall, infectious material should be transported to EHS Lab #2205, Cushwa Hall for proper disposal. All biohazard bags, boxes (in bags, labeled and sealed with a rubber band or wire twist tie) and sharps containers must contain a properly completed LABORATORY WASTE LABEL, which can be obtained from EHS.
For occupants of Ward Beecher Hall, contact the Chemical Management Center (CMC) for waste pick-up and proper transport to Cushwa Hall. LABORATORY WASTE LABELS can also be obtained from the CMC.
All infectious waste will be sterilized at the registered Infectious Waste Site in Cushwa Hall. Once sterilized, it will be discarded with the regular trash accompanied by the appropriate Shipping and Disposal documents.
All incidents involving blood or an etiologic agent which may have contaminated a person must be reported to the University Safety Office by completing an accident/incident report form must and sending it to the University Safety Office at 2046 Cushwa Hall.