First of All, What is Biohazard Waste?
Iowa State University [links to a PDF] defines biohazardous waste as “All biologically contaminated waste that could potentially cause harm to humans, domestic or wild animals or plants. Examples include human and animal blood, tissues, and certain body fluids, recombinant DNA, and human, animal or plant pathogens.”
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In more layman terms, biohazardous waste is any waste contaminated with potentially infectious materials.
Disposing of this waste isn’t like throwing garbage away – you have to put the waste in dedicated biohazard disposal bags, often called Red Bags, and then the bags are put into bio waste containers for safe collection and transportation.
What Are Some Examples of Biohazard Waste?
- Anything that is soaked in blood (gloves, gauze, gowns etc.)
- Human or animal tissues created during procedures
- Cultures of infectious diseases/agents
- Any waste produced in patient’s rooms with communicable diseases
- Discarded vaccines
Why Do You Have to Put These Things in Special Bags?
Because of the potential disease biohazardous waste contains it must be sterilized before finally being disposed of. In my last blog I went over what happens after biohazardous waste is picked up. The summary is it’s transported to a sanitation facility, put through an autoclave and then taken to a sanitary landfill where they process and safely discard it.
How Can I Have My Medical Waste Picked Up?
We got you! MedPro offers a low cost biohazard waste disposal solution that focuses specifically on worker and environmental safety, compliance, and customer happiness. If you would like to have your waste picked up, click HERE to contact us now!
