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Infectious/Biohazardous
Waste | Catagories of Biological Waste
Sharps | Use of Hypodermic
Needles
INFECTIOUS/BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE
Any waste that may contain infectious agents of sufficient virulence or quantity that presents a risk or potential risk to the health of humans, other animals, plants, either directly through infection or indirectly through disruption to the environment (EPA, 1986).
CATEGORIES OF BIOLOGICAL WASTES
Human and animal blood, blood products, and other body
fluids. Human pathological and tissue cultures. Animal carcasses, body parts, organs, tissues, and contaminated
bedding. Contaminated sharps. Contaminated agriculture and plant products. Mixed waste (bio-hazardous radioactive, bio-hazardouschemical,
bio-hazardous carcinogenic, etc.)
SHARPS
Any material that is discarded which is able to
puncture a plastic bag, e.g. needles, syringes, glass slides, broken
glass, plastic pipettes, pipette tips, Pasteur pipettes, lancet, capillary
tubes, etc., are considered SHARPS and need to be segregated from the
normal trash steam in separate puncture proof
containers.
Use of HYPODERMIC NEEDLES
The use of hypodermic needles and syringes should be restricted
to the parenteral injection and aspiration of fluids from human subjects,
laboratory animals and diaphragm vaccine bottle, and not used for gas
chromatograph and other injectable ports. Hypodermic needles and syringes
should not be used as a substitute for automatic pipetting devices in the
manipulation of biological fluids. Cannulas should be used instead of
sharp needles wherever possible. Clipping, recapping, bending, breaking,
or manipulating of needles and other sharps is not recommended since this
may result in the production of aerosol and possible bodily injury.