Medical waste should be contained separately from other waste at the point of origin. All biohazardous waste must be placed in a red bag labelled with the words “Biohazardous waste” or with the international biohazard symbol and the words “BIOHAZARD”. This red bag should be stored in a rigid, airtight container with a tight-fitting lid for storage, handling or transportation.
This secondary container must be labelled “Biohazardous Waste” or with the international biohazard symbol and “BIOHAZARD” on the lid and sides to be visible from any lateral direction. All sharps must be placed in a rigid, puncture-resistant container that is leakproof when sealed and difficult to reopen once sealed. Sharps containers should be labelled with the words ‘SHARPS WASTE’ or with the international biohazard symbol and the word ‘BIOHAZARD’. Sharps containers can be placed in red biohazard bags or in hard containers with biohazard bags. Waste such as gloves, disposable gowns, towels, IV bags and associated tubing that are empty and considered biohazardous by contact or that have previously contained chemotherapeutic agents, should be placed in a secondary container labelled “WASTE CHEMOTHERAPY” or “CHEMO”.
Biohazardous waste, which is recognizable human anatomical parts or consists of human surgical specimens or tissue that has been fixed in formaldehyde or other fixatives, must be placed in a secondary container labelled “PATHOLOGICAL WASTE” or ” PATH”.