How to Identify, Label, Package and Dispose of Biohazardous and Medical Waste
Labs that generate biohazardous waste must follow these guidelines to ensure proper disposal within 7 calendar days of the first waste being placed in the biohazard waste bag.
Note
Per County of San Diego CUPA requirements, lab-generated biohazardous waste must be at the EH&S Environmental Management Facility (EMF) within 7 calendar days from the date the first waste was placed in the biohazard waste bag .Biohazardous Waste Disposal Guidelines
Biohazardous waste (e.g., medical, infectious, sharps, clinical medical waste, etc.) may be contaminated by infectious agents, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, human blood, body fluids or other potentially infectious materials, thus posing a significant risk of transmitting infection to humans, animals, or harming the environment.
If your lab generates biohazardous waste, follow the guidelines for each category to establish a routine weekly schedule for moving waste to your building’s designated accumulation area for proper disposal.
Print and post simple Biohazardous Waste Disposal Guidelines (PDF) for your lab.
Animal carcasses and animal waste
Description
Animals and animal body parts if the animal is infectious, potentially infectious, or genetically modified, for example, all genetically modified animals, including all mice and zebrafish.
Storage and packaging
Place carcass in a clear colorless bag. Transfer to red pathological waste container with tight-fitting lid and a red bag liner. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Maximum storage time is 7 days.
Labeling
Affix the following:
- Biohazard symbol
- IACUC protocol number
- Date
- Species
- PI name
- Campus Address (La Jolla or Hillcrest campus; Word files)
Treatment
Off-site incineration by biowaste vendor.
Disposal
Red pathological waste container with biohazard symbol collected by EH&S-EMF at ACP collection sites. The Animal Care Program, (858) 534-6064, oversees collection and disposal. Package according to these guidelines:
- Chemicals: Place carcasses and animal waste in a clear bag(s), attach appropriate hazardous waste tag, put carcass in lab freezer and request hazardous waste pick-up.
- Noninfectious (excluding mice and zebrafish): Place carcasses and animal waste in a clear plastic bag and close. Transfer to rendering waste can. Store in ACP refrigerator.
- Infectious: Place carcasses and animal waste in a clear plastic bag and close. Transfer to red plastic can with red bag liner. Store in ACP refrigerator. Maximum storage time: 7 days.
Red Bag Waste
Description
Here are some examples of common laboratory materials that require disposal as red bag waste/biohazardous waste:
- Plastic pipettes
- Pipette tips
- Petri dishes
- Culture flasks
- Paper towels used for cleaning contaminated surfaces
- Bench paper
- Biohazardous animal bedding
- Gloves contaminated with biohazardous materials
- Infectious, potentially infectious, or genetically modified materials or organisms, including invertebrates
Note: Tubes or sealed containers with minimal liquids are acceptable if absorbent materials are placed in the red biohazard waste bag. Free flowing liquids in biohazard waste is not compliant.
If your lab generates red bag waste/biohazardous waste, the lab must have California-compliant biohazardous waste bags and secondary containers, and must establish a routine schedule for moving waste to your building’s designated accumulation area on a weekly basis. To meet California Department of Public Health requirements, biohazard waste must be at the EH&S Environmental Management Facility (EMF) within 7 calendar days from the date the first waste was placed in the biohazard waste bag.
Storage and packaging
Place two red biohazard bags in a rigid, leakproof container with a tight-fitting lid. Once the bag is full, or before 7-days of accumulation (whichever occurs first), tie the bag and proceed with disposal practices.
Labeling
Affix the following:
- Biohazard symbol on lid and sides
- Campus address: Include building name, room and phone number
Treatment
Biohazardous waste is treated off-site by a biowaste vendor. If working in a USDA/APHIS permitted facility, BSL-3 or ABSL-2, you may be required to autoclave, heat inactivated, or disinfect materials or agents prior to the waste leaving the facility. Refer to the facility manual or Hazard Control Plan for specific processing requirements. Once processed, follow the disposal procedures below for biohazardous waste.
Disposal
- Tie neck of red biohazardous waste bags in single knot.
- Transport red biohazardous waste bags within a biohazard secondary container.
- Transport biohazardous waste to the building’s biohazardous waste accumulation site.
- Move red biohazard bags into the red transport biohazardous waste collection bins.
- Weekly transfer requirement:
- Move red bag biohazardous waste from your laboratory to your building’s designated accumulation area at least once per week.
- Red bag biohazardous waste that is not frozen must arrive at the EH&S Environmental Management Facility (EMF) within 7 calendar days of the date it was generated. Refer to the Biohazardous waste pick-up schedule.
- Note: Biohazard waste accumulation sites are not serviced on weekends or holidays.
Pathological (human anatomical specimens)
Description
NOT RECOGNIZABLE--Human anatomical specimens, body parts or organs.
Storage and packaging
Place tissue in a clear colorless bag. Transfer to red pathological waste container with a tight-fitting lid and a red bag liner. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Maximum storage time is 7 days.
Labeling
Affix the following:
Treatment
Off-site incineration by biowaste vendor.
Disposal
Red pathological waste container with biohazard symbol located in sites designated by EH&S-EMF For pick-up call (858) 534-2753.
- Return pathological human specimens obtained from SOM Anatomical Preparation to them at completion of use for disposition.
- If you have questions, contact Anatomical Preparation, (858) 534-4546 or 534-8280.
Liquid biohazardous waste
Description
Liquid biohazardous cultures or specimens, including infectious, potentially infectious, or genetically modified organisms.
Storage and packaging
Use a vacuum flask with a stopper. Store in a secondary container if outside biosafety cabinet. Maximum storage time is 7 days.
Labeling
Affix the following:
- Biohazard symbol
Treatment
- Dilute liquid waste with bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts liquid waste) and let waste sit exposed to the bleach for 30 minutes before pouring it down the drain.
- Steam sterilize without bleach in an autoclave with a Biomedical Waste Permit from San Diego County Health Department. See How to Determine if Autoclave Permit Is up to Date and Tested.
For chemical disinfection of liquid biohazardous waste, the only university-wide approved disinfectant for UC San Diego is bleach. If your laboratory wishes to inquire about the use of alternative disinfectants to inactivate liquid biohazardous waste, please send an email with the following information:
- Material to be disinfected
- Chemical to be used
- Concentration of chemical
- Contact time
- Disposal method (sewering, hazardous waste pickup)
You will receive a response within five (5) working days regarding approval.
Disposal
Pour treated liquids down laboratory sink using the appropriate personal protective equipment.Sharps
Description
Sharps are devices that have acute rigid corners, edges, or protuberances capable of cutting or piercing. Common sharps use include hypodermic needles, needles with syringes or tubing, blades, Pasteur pipettes, blood vials, items capable of cutting or piercing, and all glassware if contaminated with infectious, potentially infectious, or genetically modified materials.
Sharps in contact with biological or infectious materials are disposed of as biohazard sharps. Do not dispose of sharps in contact with chemicals or radioactive materials in a biohazard sharps container. Sharps connected to other equipment can be disposed of in sharps containers. For example, a needle connected to syringes or tubing. Non-sharps items should not be disposed of in a biohazard sharps container. Gloves, kimwipes, wrappers, and other lab debris should not be disposed of within sharps containers.
Storage and packaging
Use an FDA approved sharps container. Container must be leakproof, rigid, and puncture-resistant.
Labeling
Affix the following:
Treatment
Off-site treatment by biowaste vendor. Contact ehsbio@ucsd.edu for questions about waste procedures for high-containment laboratories.
Disposal
Close and seal with tape when ready for disposal and place in Red Biohazardous Waste Collection Bins with biohazard symbol, collected by EH&S-EMF at building collection sites. The disposal method for sharps depends on whether they are contaminated with hazardous material and the type of contaminant.
Whether contaminated or not, strict packaging and container restrictions apply.
- See How to Dispose of Sharps for instructions.
Others
Follow instructions below for the category of waste generated.
- Biohazardous and Medical Waste Overview for detailed information about the types of waste included in each category.
- How to Store and Dispose of Radioactive Waste for detailed instructions on packaging, labeling, and disposal.
- How to Dispose of Plastic Tissue-Culture Pipettes
- For chemically contaminated waste, contact the EH&S Environmental Management Facility, (858) 534-2753, for instructions.
MIXED WASTE: To dispose mixed waste (i.e, mixture of biohazardous and chemical or radioactive waste) contact EH&S' Environmental Mgt. Facility (EMF) at (858) 534-2753
*RECOGNIZABLE BODY PART and ORGANS: For recognizable anatomical specimen disposal and pick-up, contact SOM Anatomical Services at (858) 534-8280