Defining Biomedical Waste and Its Subcategories

Biomedical waste, also known as infectious waste or biohazardous waste in Canada, is waste that is generated by various industries and sectors, requiring safe handling, storage and disposal. Some of the most common facilities where biomedical waste is created include:

• Healthcare facilities
• Veterinary offices
• Medical research facilities
• Teaching establishments
• Vaccination testing facilities
• Research laboratories
   

Biomedical waste can include a variety of hazardous or infectious materials and the different types of biomedical waste are subject to various regulations regarding their disposal. It’s important to understand what the different types of biomedical waste are and the requirements for their disposal to protect anyone from harm as well as safeguard against noncompliance fines and damage.

TOPICS WE WILL COVER: 

1 / Blood Waste

2 / Sharps Waste

3 / Anatomical Waste

4 / Microbiology Laboratory Waste 

5 / Cytotoxic Sharps Waste

6 / Non-Cytotoxic Sharps Waste

7 / Pharmaceutical Waste  

Blood Waste

Blood waste is a subcategory of medical waste that includes blood that is not held in a disposable container and is saturating an item, such as a bandage, gauze, pieces of clothing, or other objects dripping with blood. It also includes blood products not held in glass containers and items containing blood from a patient with a bloodborne illness, even if the items are not saturated. Items that contain bodily fluids that have visible blood in them, such as vaginal secretions, pericardial fluid, semen, mucus, feces, peritoneal fluid, urine, and vomit, are also considered blood waste, as are bodily fluids removed during surgery, treatment, and necropsy. This waste is required to be disposed of in a biohazardous waste container such as the Medismart. Other acceptable options include a cardboard box with a yellow liner, a yellow pail, or a reusable tote with a yellow liner.

Sharps Waste

Sharps waste is waste that could possibly cause cuts or puncture wounds. It consists of items such as laboratory glass, ampoules, needles (including safety-engineered devices), lancets, and syringes with or without attached needles. Other items which will also need to be placed in containers designed for sharps include scissors, scalpels, Pasteur pipettes, trocars, blades, blood slides, glass vials, IV bag spikes, glass that may have contacted infectious material, and test tubes. Sharps waste is required to be disposed of in a specially designated sharps container, which can be a reusable container like the Sharpsmart or a disposable sharps container. 

Anatomical Waste

This waste typically comprises organs, tissues, and surgical specimens from animals or humans. It’s important to note that organic material like hair, teeth, fur, feathers, and nails are not part of this category of waste. Facilities must use a red pail or a cardboard box with a red liner when disposing of anatomical waste. 

Microbiology Laboratory Waste

Microbiology laboratory waste is another category of biomedical waste. It includes items such as live or attenuated vaccines and laboratory cultures, stocks, or specimens of microorganisms. It also can consist of any animal or human cell cultures that have been used during research, as well as any disposable supplies in the laboratory that might possibly have contacted any microbiology laboratory waste. Facilities have a few options when it comes to disposing of microbiology laboratory waste. They could use a reusable container like the Medismart. They also have the option of disposing of the waste in a disposable yellow pail, a cardboard box with a yellow liner or reusable tote (also requiring a yellow liner). 

Cytotoxic Sharps Waste

This category of waste includes items that may cause cuts or punctures, like sharps waste, but that have been contaminated by cytotoxic medication. Common examples of this are waste vials that contain or have contained cytotoxic medication or needles or syringes that were used to administer cytotoxic medication. Facilities must dispose of cytotoxic sharps waste in red containers specifically for cytotoxic sharps, such as a Chemosmart reusable container.

Non-Sharp Cytotoxic Waste

Non-sharp cytotoxic waste includes items that have been in contact with cytotoxic drugs or with the bodily fluids of patients who have been administered cytotoxic drugs in the last 48 hours, except for sharps. Typical items in this category include cytotoxic drugs and their packaging, tubing, gowns, IV bags, gloves, and similar items, as well as the feces, vomit, and urine of patients who have received cytotoxic medication in the last 48 hours. This type of waste should be discarded in a disposable red pail or in a cardboard box that has a red liner.

Pharmaceutical Waste

Pharmaceutical waste generally consists of medication, except for cytotoxic medications, that is leftover, expired, or has not been used. Common examples of this type of waste are oral liquids, pills, ointments, patches, and injectable/IV liquids. Regulations require that facilities dispose of their pharmaceutical waste in either a cardboard box with a red liner or a white pail. Pharmasmart, for instance, offers the benefit of a reusable container which has a locking function to prevent unauthorized access to its contents. 

Controlled substances are prescription medications or other pharmaceuticals that are scheduled by the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. If the pharmaceutical waste includes controlled substances, the controlled substances must be denatured before disposal. This can be done by using a deactivation and disposal unit like Secure a Drug. 

Trust Daniels Health to Cover Your Biomedical Waste Disposal Needs

With so many different types of biomedical categories, it can be a challenge to maintain the proper containers and disposal practices. That’s where Daniels comes in: to help you select the right containers for your facility’s unique needs and provide guidance for staff training and implementation. With just a bit of preparation, a facility can quickly increase its ability to safely store and dispose of biomedical waste with a user-friendly system designed with staff in mind for ease of use and safety. Reach out to learn more and determine your exact needs to remain safe and compliant.  

REQUEST A QUOTE