Biological and Infectious Waste
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Infectious Waste Management
Regulations imposed by local, state, and federal agencies dictate that infectious waste must be segregated, packaged, and disposed of in a specific manner. The primary purpose of the regulations is to limit on-the-job exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials. The following guidelines were implemented by the University during November 1988 and revised in July 1997.
DEHS requires infectious waste to be classified as one of three types of waste: Medical, Sharps or Pathological.
Contact DEHS 502-852-6670 for any questions regarding biological and infectious wastes.
Infectious Waste Classifications
- Microbiological Waste - i.e., stocks and/or cultures of etiological or infectious agents, including culture plates, test tubes, swabs, etc. contaminated with these Agents
- Human Blood and Blood Products - i.e., all liquid blood, serum and plasma
- Potentially Infectious Medical/laboratory glassware including slides, pipettes, blood tubes and vials, and contaminated broken glass
- Transgenic Plant Material - plant's genetic material that has been altered by the introduction of genes from another organism.
- Syringes
- Needles
- Scalpel blades
- Glass and plastic pipettes and vials
- All needles, scalpels, syringes or other sharps, regardless of their use are to be managed as Sharps.
- Human organs, body parts and surgical specimens or body parts removed during surgery or invasive procedures i.e.
- Obstetrical, autopsy, and laboratory procedures.
- Contaminated animal parts/tissues, and carcasses.
- Chemotherapy waste
Infectious Waste Segregation
At the point of generation, infectious waste is to be segregated by type and placed into separate containers for shipment. Laboratories and other infectious waste generator areas will separate each infectious waste stream into 32-gallon red containers lined with an approved biohazard bag.
It will be the responsibility of all University employees or students that generate infectious waste to segregate the waste accordingly. Infectious waste that has not been segregated appropriately will remain in the laboratory or treatment area and an "Incomplete Work Notice" will be issued through Custodial Services. For more information, please contact DEHS 502-852-6670.
Infectious Waste Segregation Instructions
Medical waste consisting of microbiological waste, human blood and blood products, potentially infectious medical/laboratory glassware, transgenic plant material, and sharps will be managed in the following manner:
- Medical waste will be placed in 32-gallon red infectious waste containers lined with an approved biohazard bag.
- All sharps must be placed in an approved sharps container. When the sharps container is full, it must be placed into a 32-gallon red infectious waste container lined with an approved biohazard bag.
- When the 32-gallon red container is full, laboratory or clinical staff will tie the bag shut.
Custodial staff will pick up the waste whenever they find the bag has been tied shut. There is no need to notify Custodial Services to have infectious waste picked up as custodians routinely collect infectious waste each evening. - Infectious waste must be properly secured for collection by the custodians. "Properly secured" is defined as all biohazard (red or orange) bags tied, fastened or secured in the most efficient manner prior to custodians removing the container from a work area. If the bags are not closed, custodians are required to leave the bag/container where it was left and issue an "Incomplete Work Notice".
Pathological waste consisting of human organs, body parts, surgical specimens, contaminated animal parts/tissues and carcasses, and chemotherapy waste will be managed in the following manner:
- Pathological waste will be placed in 40-pound, square, fiberboard, DOT approved shipping containers lined with an approved biohazard bag.
- Custodial staff will pick up the waste whenever they find the bag has been tied shut, and the boxes taped closed. The generating location must be on the box. There is no need to notify Custodial Services to have infectious waste picked up as custodians routinely collect infectious waste each evening.
- Infectious waste must be properly secured for collection. If the boxes are not closed, custodians are required to leave the boxes and issue an "Incomplete Work Notice."
- All biohazard bags are to be kept in containers designated for infectious waste only. These containers are supplied by the University's infectious waste contractor and are made available through Custodial Services 502-852-7174. Any biohazard bag found in a regular trash container will be left in the work area where it was discovered.