Regulated Medical Waste 

Biomedical waste consists of all biological, pathological and infectious wastes such as the following:

1. Anatomical Material: Human or animal body parts including tissues and organs or whole animal carcasses..
2. Blood: Human or animal, whole or blood components.
3. Blood-soiled Articles: Any article that contains blood in any form as a result of contact with blood.
4. Sharps: Syringe, needle, surgical instrument or other article which has cut or punctured human skin or has come in contact with an infectious agent.
5. Unused cultures and stocks of infectious agents.
6. Biologically Contaminated Laboratory Materials: Any article that is contaminated with or has come in contact with a pathogenic or infectious organism such as petri dishes, glassware, etc.

All biomedical waste must be either treated and disposed of as solid waste or consigned to Environmental Health and Safety for incineration by a local vendor.

Instructions for the disposal of biomedical waste.

1. Anatomical Materials, Animal Carcasses/Tissues: Place anatomical material or animal carcasses/tissues in plastic bag. Twist the top of the plastic bag, bend the twisted portion to form a loop and tape the bag closed. Place the first bag into a second bag. Twist the top of the second bag, bend the twisted portion to form a loop and tape the second bag closed. Place the bag in a freezer and freeze until EHS can conduct a pick-up. Call EHS at 3-4495 to request a Special Medical Waste pick-up.
2. Whole Blood or Blood Components: Whole blood or blood components shall be disposed of down the sanitary sewer drain. Blood should be treated/disinfected prior to being disposed of. An acceptable chemical disinfectant is 5% sodium hypochlorite (commercial bleach).
3. Sharps (needles, syringes, scalpel blades, etc.): Place the sharps intact in an autoclavable puncture resistant "sharps" container. Do not recap, bend, remove or clip needles. Fill 3/4 full, snap lid closed and secure with tape. Overfilling or forced filling may result in puncture wounds. Sharps should be treated/disinfected prior to being disposed of. Call EHS at 3-4495 to request Special Medical Waste pick-up. NOTE: Please do not place free flowing liquids in sharps container.
4. Biologically Contaminated Laboratory Materials, Blood Soiled Articles, Cultures, and Stocks of Infectious Agents: Refer to the guidlines below set up by B.S.S.F for disposal of these items as "bagged" waste.

Special Instructions: Do not place chemical or radioactive waste in biomedical waste boxes. Non-radioactive decontaminated liquids should be flushed down the sanitary sewer drain. Animal Carcasses that have been injected with regulated hazardous chemicals during the course of an experiment must be labeled with the amount of that hazardous chemical remaining in the animal carcass and disposed of as chemical waste. Animal Carcasses that have been injected with radioactive materials during the course of an experiment must be labeled with the nuclide, activity remaining in the carcass, and date and disposed of as radioactive waste.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF BAGGED REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE
FOR STERILIZATION

1. All Regulated Medical Waste contained in bags must be submitted to the B.S.S.F. for sterilization in approved red Regulated Medical Waste bags, double bagged. (Please see the B.S.S.F. Manager before purchasing these bags, so the bags can be approved prior to your outlay of funds.) The B.S.S.F. or EHS will not provide these bags.
2. No glass or plastic pipettes may be placed in red Regulated Medical Waste bags.
3. No sharps may be placed in red Regulated Medical Waste bags.
4. Unless specifically used to cleanup a biohazard spill, no paper towels should be placed in red Regulated Medical Waste bags. Towels used to routinely clean a work surface before and after use, should be placed in "uncontaminated" waste receptacle.
5. All bags shall be filled no more than 3/4 full.
6. All bags must be closed with closures or rubber bands, prior to submission to B.S.S.F., to allow steam penetration during sterilization, i.e., do not tape bags closed tightly.
7. Regulated Medical Waste bags will be accepted by the B.S.S.F. on Wednesdays only, no later than 10:00 am. This policy allows the B.S.S.F. The required time to sterilize and dispose of bags.
8. All regulated medical waste generated by your laboratory must be disposed of (i.e., brought to the B.S.S.F. for sterilization) within 7 days of generation.
9. All regulated medical waste bags must include: the generator's room number, building, department, and general classification of contents of the bag, clearly labeled on the bag prior to submission to the B.S.S.F.
10. The generator of the Regulated Medical Waste assumes all responsibility for assuring the B.S.S.F. personnel that absolutely no hazardous waste, i.e., chemicals, or radioactive waste is contained in the red Regulated Medical Waste bags submitted for treatment, and must sign a log to that effect upon delivery of waste to BSSF for treatment

NOTE: If you are working with a known, biological pathogen, please inform the B.S.S.F. personnel of the pathogen, as a courtesy. The B.S.S.F. will treat ALL waste with Universal Precautions, but may be able to process or quarantine specific pathogens more readily if known.

Request for Medical Waste Pick-up.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF SHARPS FOR STERILIZATION.

1. All sharps must be submitted in a closed, approved sharps container to the B.S.S.F. upon filling of the container.
2. The B.S.S.F. must send these sharps off campus to a contracted vendor for incineration, as the Biological Sciences incinerator is NOT approved for ANY regulated medical waste, including human tissues.
3. All sharps containers must have the following information clearly labeled on the container, prior to submission to the B.S.S.F.: Room number, Building, Department.

Additional Resources:

ODU Biosafety Manual
ODU Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
Regulated Medical Waste Guidelines for Biological Sciences
ODU Regulated Medical Waste Guidelines
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Management of Medical Waste
Healthcare Enivronmental Resource Center: Regulated Medical Waste