Information and Guidelines:

Disposal Procedures for Biological Waste

1. Non human pathogen-containing waste must be collected in a clear autoclave bag. Human pathogen-containing waste must be collected in a red autoclave biohazard bag.
2. Bags of waste must be autoclaved at 121°C, 15 psi for at least 15 minutes.
3. After autoclaving, the waste in clear bags will be discarded as regular trash. The waste in red biohazard bags must be discarded into a biomedical waste box.
4. The maximum gross weight for a 30 gallon biomedical waste box is 50 lbs.; for a 15 gallon biomedical waste box, the maximum gross weight is 40 lbs.
5. When the box is full or reaches to its maximum gross weight, the top of the liner must be closed by first twisting then hand tying in a single knot. The top and bottom of the biomedical waste box must be closed and taped with a two inch wide pressure sensitive tape or equivalent when called for pick-up. The Biological Safety Officer coordinates biomedical waste disposal (850-644-5374). Waste must be disposed of within 30 days from the first date of generation.

Disposal procedures for needle-syringes, scalpels, razor blades

1. Needles must not be re-capped or removed from the syringe. Needle-syringe units must be discarded into a red puncture-resistant needle box.
2. All discarded needle-syringes, scalpels and razor blades, contaminated or non-contaminated, must be placed into a red puncture-resistant needle box.
3. Needle box shall only be filled to ¾ full, then closed, taped and discarded as biomedical waste.

Disposal procedures for Pasteur pipettes, broken/unbroken glassware

1. Non-contaminated glassware/glass sharps are collected in a cardboard box labeled with the word "SHARPS" along with the source location (building and room number). When the "sharps" box is full, it must be closed, taped, and discarded as regular trash and should not be disposed as recyclable.
2. Contaminated glassware/glass sharps are collected in a puncture-resistant biomedical sharps bin. When full, it must be closed, taped, marked with the source location (building and room number), and dated. If the biomedical sharps bin is not the one supplied by the waste disposal contractor, it must be packed in the biomedical waste box supplied by the waste disposal contractor and must be discarded within 30 days.

Biohazardous Waste Flowchart

Waste Pickup Request Form

Safety Manual Biohazardous Waste Information