All laboratories or areas utilizing blood, blood products, body fluids and/or etiologic agents must have proper disposal containers.

Burn Boxes (cardboard disposal boxes) labeled for BIOHAZARD WASTE are to be used for disposing of all glass items that have come in contact with or contain blood/blood products or etiologic agents (test tubes, slides, pipettes, blood collection tubes, etc.). Unbroken contaminated glass must be discarded in this box. These biohazard boxes are to be used only once.

All needles, lancets, and syringes are to be discarded into red plastic, puncture-proof containers labeled for "SHARPS". All broken contaminated glass must also be discarded in this container.

A "Sharp" is considered to be, but not limited to the following items: needles, scalpels, razor blades, microhematocrit tubes, (used or unused) and all broken contaminated and broken uncontaminated glass or any other material which may puncture the skin. Broken uncontaminated glass or any other uncontaminated item which may puncture the skin should be disposed of in a puncture proof container as to not cause injury to the person handling the container.

Liquid cultures are to be disposed of by placing test tubes containing the cultures into test tube racks and placing the racks onto a stainless steel tray. If flasks are used to store cultures they too can be placed on the tray. If liquid cultures cannot remain in test tubes or flasks then contact Environmental & Occupational Health and Safety (EOHS) and alternate methods can be discussed. Stainless steel trays can be obtained from EOHS.

Place all contaminated gloves, swabs, plate cultures of etiologic agents, and absorbent paper products used to clean up spills in disposal bins that are lined with two (double bagged) biohazard bags.

Do not mix non-infectious material (paper towels, wrappers from swabs, packaging material, product wrappers, kim wipes, tissues, coffee cups, candy wrappers, etc.) with infectious waste. These items must be disposed of in the regular trash.

For occupants of Cushwa Hall infectious material should be transported to room 2120 Cushwa Hall for proper disposal. All biohazard bags, biohazard boxes, and sharps containers must contain a "LABORATORY WASTE" label which can be obtained in room 2120 Cushwa Hall.

For occupants of Ward Beecher Hall, contact the Chemical Management Center (CMC) at ext. 3703 and your waste will be picked up for proper transport to Cushwa Hall. "LABORATORY WASTE" labels can be obtained from the CMC.