What Goes in a Biohazard Waste Container?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Environment, Health and Safety Division, the health care industry generates about 6,670 tons of waste daily. A small percentage of health care waste is biohazardous in the form of radioactive or hazardous chemical waste.

Definition

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines biohazardous waste as: "waste that requires biological inactivation in an approved manner prior to final disposal." Biohazardous waste is waste that is known to, or has the potential to, infect or cause harm to humans, animals and/or the environment.

Constitution

• The EPA provides a definitive list of items classed as biohazardous, including blood and body fluids, infectious agents and bacteria, recognizable human or animal body parts, tissue and carcasses, laboratory waste, medical sharps and soil that contains pathogens.

Disposal

• Biohazard waste regulations stipulate that biohazardous waste must be disposed of in leak resistant, rigid or semi-rigid, containers. These containers, to ensure clear identification of the items within, display the universal biohazard symbol and are labeled as biohazard waste. Biohazardous material is often incinerated to ensure safe destruction.