BIOCHEMISTRY

Biological Waste Disposal

Below you can find a basic guide to safely disposing of biological waste.  For more information about biological safety and opportunities for training please visit the Office of Biological Safety's website.

Disposal of Waste from Biological Research Labs

Material that goes directly to the landfill may NOT contain pathogens and first must be decontaminated. Autoclaved bags of waste (with the biohazard symbol defaced) go to the landfill with the regular trash. If choosing to double bag, use a clear outer bag.  Use bags with the biohazard symbol for handling biohazards, not for general trash disposal.

For detailed information on Biological Waste Disposal please see the Environment, Health & Safety Biological Waste Disposal page.

Biohazard Bag Policy

Waste Management, UW’s contractor who accepts all of the University trash, will no longer accept Red Biohazard Bags in their landfill.

To them a Red Biohazard bag  means it contains Medical Waste that has NOT been Autoclaved and is therefore still a Biohazard. They will not accept our green “OK to Trash” label as proof that it is non-hazardous.

All units that generate biohazard waste must put autoclaved waste in either CLEAR OR ORANGE autoclave bags. Both clear and orange colored bags are available from Fisher via MDS.

Laboratories shall continue to use a green “OK To Trash” sticker on autoclaved waste, filled out with the lab name and room number.  The green sticker informs Physical Plant custodial personnel that the bag only contains autoclaved material and does NOT contain SHARPS.