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Procedure
A. Waste Segregation
- All wastes will be segregated
into appropriate categories at the
point of generation (e.g. laboratory, patient room, service area),
properly containerized and maintained in separate packaging throughout
collection, storage and transport in a manner that prevents release of
the waste material.
- All untreated infectious waste will be placed
immediately into appropriate collection bags and containers.
- All infectious/ objectionable waste destined
for on-site
decontamination by autoclaving will be segregated from other waste and
placed directly into autoclavable waste collection bags
B. Labeling and Container
Requirements
- Container Requirements
- Reusable containers:
- Infectious waste
collection and transportation
containers will be rigid, leak, burst and tear resistant under normal
conditions of handling and use; constructed of smooth, easily
cleanable, impermeable material.
- Reusable containers, which
have been in direct contact with infectious material, will be
disinfected prior to reuse.
- Disposable containers:
- All infectious waste (other
than sharps) collection
containers will be lined with disposable waste collection bags.
Infectious waste collection bags will be impervious to moisture and of
sufficient strength to preclude ripping, tearing or bursting under
normal conditions of use and handling.
- Red disposable infectious
waste bags
will be used for the collection of non-autoclavable infectious waste
such as pathological waste, infected research animal waste only, or for
other waste not intended for on-site decontaminated or treatment.
- Sharps containers will be
rigid,
puncture, burst and tear resistant under normal conditions of handling
and use. All sharps containers will be prominently labeled with
the
words " Sharps" and bear the biohazard symbol.
Please
Note: Cardboard Boxes are not
accepted and should not be used as sharps containers.
- Labeling
Requirements:
- All infectious
waste collection containers, bags, or liners will be
clearly labeled with a biohazard symbol and/or marked with the words
"Infectious Waste".
- Sharps containers must be labeled with the
words "Sharps"
and bearing the biohazard waste symbol whether the sharps are
infectious or not.
- Room Labeling: Consult with the University
wide Bio-safety
Officer to see if your research will require labeling of the laboratory
and/or work area doors and entrances. A biohazard label must be
posted
on the doors of any laboratory performing BL2 or higher-level research.
In general, affix Biohazard Warning labels to refrigerators, freezers
and other containers holding blood and other potentially infectious
materials to warn others of the hazards involved.
- Storage Requirements:
- Infectious/
objectionable, pathological, infected research animal
and pathological waste destined for off-site shipment must be properly
containerized, labeled and stored separately from other waste in areas
designed to prevent the entry of vermin and access by unauthorized
persons.
- All untreated infectious waste and
non-preserved animal and
pathological waste will be stored in coolers, refrigerator and freezers
to prevent putrefaction, and minimize odors.
- All storage containers will have tight
fitting lids.
- On-Site Decontamination of
Infectious Waste
- All
laboratories involved with the use of virulent infectious
agents must decontaminate all cultures, stocks and materials used in
the manipulation of infectious agents before disposal into the normal
waste stream or general refuse.
- Infected animal carcasses and body parts will
not be decontaminated on-site but shipped for off-site incineration.
- Subsequent to decontamination, all autoclaved
waste will be handled as normal waste and discarded in the normal waste
stream.
- Decontamination by Autoclaving
- Autoclaving
(saturated stream under pressure) is approved
decontamination method of most infectious waste (other than research
animal and pathological waste) generated at UMD. Usually, a 60 to 90
minute cycles at 121 degrees C will be used to effectively
decontaminated waste.
- There are other acceptable processes for the
decontamination
of infectious waste. However, the approval of the University of
Minnesota Bio-safety Officer must be obtained for their use.
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