1. BIOHAZARDOUS NONSHARPS WASTE TO BE AUTOCLAVED BEFORE DISPOSAL:

a. Select a rigid plastic biohazardous container with lid or commercially designed biohazardous bag holder into which to place red or orange biohazardous specimen disposal bags.

i. Rigid reusable container requirements:

(1) The rigid container must be labeled on the top or side with the Universal Biohazard Symbol and the word "BIOHAZARD"

(2) The container must be disinfected on a regular basis with a CDC tuberculocidal disinfectant such as a freshly made 1:10 solution of household bleach.

ii. Bag Holder Requirements: Use only with appropriately sized bags to prevent accidents as a result of ill-fitting bags.

b. Insert a adequately sized red or orange biohazardous bag (liner) into the container or holder.

i. The bag must be labeled with the Universal Biohazard Symbol and the word "BIOHAZARD"

c. Do not fill container more than 3/4 full or less, based on autoclave chamber capacity.

d. Securely close, but do not seal bag. Transfer bag via collection container or other biohazard labeled secondary container to the site of sterilization.

e. Open and autoclave bag (Place autoclavable spill tray under bag to catch any spills). After bag has cooled, inspect heat indicator to be sure that bag contents have been decontaminated.

f. If autoclaved waste has been successfully decontaminated by sterilization, apply label or write with indelible (unerasable) marker, the word ADECONTAMINATED@ and transfer entire bag to heavy gauge, opaque plastic trash bag and dispose of waste as regular solid waste. Add absorbent to absorb liquid if required.

g. If autoclaved waste has NOT been decontaminated follow procedures for disposal of contaminated or infectious biohazardous waste (below).

h. Biohazardous Radioactive Waste: Waste containing radioactive compounds must be handled as prescribed by Radiation Safety

i. Biohazardous Waste Containing Hazardous Chemicals (formalin, carcinogens, etc): Such waste must be handled in compliance with Departmental and College Chemical Hygiene Plan. One must consult with the Departmental or College Chemical Hygiene Committee. Generally speaking, unless contraindicated under unusual circumstances, biohazards are autoclaved before being submitted for chemical waste disposal. However, there are distinct exceptions: Do not autoclave biohazards containing even a trace of solvents, volatile or corrosive chemicals (phenol, formalin, ether, chloroform, TCA, etc. Tissues in 10% buffered formalin are submitted to chemical storage WITHOUT being autoclaved. BIOHAZARDOUS chemical waste must be approached on a case by case basis..

j. Recombinant DNA: Procedures must be based on the classification risks of components used. If any component is biohazardous, then the waste so generated must be classified as biohazardous