Biological
and Infectious Waste
Biohazardous material is biological in nature, capable of
self-replication, and has the capacity to produce deleterious
effects upon other biological organisms, particularly humans.
An EHS staff member serves as the official Biosafety Officer
for the campus and can provide assistance in recommending
safe handling procedures and laboratory design.
Infectious waste includes any waste item contaminated with
biological agents suspected as being capable of transmitting
disease. Infectious waste can be divided into three primary
groups. These include:
Liquid wastes such as blood, other body
fluids, or culture media which is known or suspected to
be contaminated with disease agents.
Soft materials such as dressings, bandages,
bedding, toweling, etc. that are saturated to the point
that they are capable of releasing blood, body fluids, or
other potentially infectious materials when handled or compressed.
Sharps are objects or instruments that
are contaminated with blood, body fluids or other infectious
agents which could penetrate the skin or could do so if
broken. Examples of sharps waste include:
•
glassware
•
pipettes
(glass and hard plastic)
•
hypodermic
needles
•
scalpel
blades
•
lancets
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