This document provides guidelines for the safe disposal of waste from microbiology laboratories. It outlines the different types of disposable bags that should be used for various waste materials, such as yellow bags for low hazard chemicals and black bags for packaging. It also describes how sharps, chemicals, and biological waste should be disposed of properly. The general rules indicate that waste should be minimized, segregated, and handled only by trained personnel.

2. SAFE DISPOSABLE OF
WASTE FROM
MICROBIOLOGY
LABORATORY
Ms.Subhananthini jeyamurugan,
Roll no: 18py17,
II M.Sc, Microbiology,
ANJA college,sivakasi

3. Arrangement
s for Waste
from
Laboratory
Introduction:
Different types of waste are produced within
laboratories during working .
This means that the disposal process must be assessed and
suitable precautions used.

4. Types of
disposable
bags
• Yellow Bags
• Autoclave bags – clear plastic
• Black bags
• Sharps Boxes
• Chemical waste
• Sink
• Purlple bags
• Hazardous Waste Containers
• Storage Containers
• Waste transport

5. Yellow bags
Do:
• Gloves
• Contaminated material e.g. packaging.
• Low hazard chemicals in small amounts.
• Clinical waste e.g. patient samples.
Don’t:
• Sharps.
• Chemicals classified as toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction,
corrosive etc.
• Microbiological waste (unless previously inactivated). E.g. cell cultures
containingACDP hazard group 2 or greater. Patient samples known or likely to
contain hazard group 3 or 4 biological agents.
• Genetically modified material unless inactivated using a verified route.

9. Autoclave
bags – clear
plastic
Do:
• Patient samples
• Microbiological and Cell cultures.
• Potentially infected or contaminated material.
• Genetically modified material
Don’t:
• Sharps, (This includes loose pipette tips – see footnote).
• Chemicals classified as toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic,
toxic to reproduction, corrosive etc. (e.g. Ethidium
bromide).
• Note: Pipette tips must be packed in a robust container.

10. Autoclaved
bags

11. Black bags Do:
• Packaging material.
• Hand towels.
• Paper.
• containers – plastic (as long as they are not
contaminated).
Don’t
• Anything contaminated.
• Chemicals in general.
• Batteries.

16. Purple bags • All cytotoxic waste should be placed in an approved
purple cytotoxic bag or container.

17. Sharps
Boxes
Do:
• Needles.
• Scalpels.
• Razor blades.
• Pipette tips. (If not microbiologically contaminated).
• Glass vials.
Don’t:
• Liquids in general.
• Chemicals in general.
• Gloves.
• Packaging.

21. Chemical
waste
Do:
• All hazardous chemicals.
Don’t:
• Infectious substances.
• Radioactive substances.

23. sink
Do:
• Dilute solutions not containing heavy metal
salts.
• Low quantities of water-soluble / miscible
organic chemicals (e.g. alcohol).
• Neutral pH
Don’t:
• Heavy metals.
• Flammable substances.
• Solvents.
• Organic chemicals in general (see above for
exception).
• Strong acids or alkalis.
• Oxidising agents e.g. Histoclear.
• Alkaline metals e.g. sodium and potassium.
• Microbiological material (unless disinfected).
• Genetically modified material (unless de-
activated) by means of a verified route.

24. Hazardous
Waste
Containers:
All hazardous waste material must be stored in an appropriate
container.
The containers must be:
• Compatible with the waste material being stored; check MSDS
• Sturdy and leak-proof
• An appropriate size
• Under the control of the person generating and managing the
waste
• Closed at all times except when adding waste, and have a tight-
fitting cap.
• A container is properly closed when it will not leak if placed on its
side.
• Clearly identified with a hazardous waste label
• Secondary containment must be used for all waste containers
under fume hoods to prevent spills and accidental overflows
from reaching the drain
• Not filled to capacity.

25. hazardous
waste
containers
should be
segregated by
hazard class
as listed
below:

26. General
rules
1. All generators of potentially hazardous wastes must
ensure the accurate and complete labelling and safe
storage, transport, treatment and disposal of such
wastes.
2. Wastes should be minimized where possible.
3. Wastes should be segregated at the outset and
mixing avoided where possible.
4. Untrained staff and students are not to handle
hazardous wastes and must not be given
responsibility for them.

28. Storage
Containers
• All laboratories must use standardised containers, bags
and labeling.
• Infectious wastes:Yellow bags with the internationally
recognised biohazard symbol in black - double
bagging.
• CytotoxicWastes: Purple bags with the cytotoxic waste
symbol (a cell in telephase).
• Radioactive wastes: Red bags with the black
internationally recognised radioactivity symbol.

29. Waste
storage
containers:

30. Waste
transport
External
All waste leaving RMIT is collected by accredited waste
collection agencies. Loading of radioactive waste is to be
supervised by the staff at the Safety, Health and Risk
Management Branch.
Internal
A. Transport of wastes to collection/storage areas.
B. Transport to autoclaves/incinerators.

31. Transport of wastes to collection/storage areas.
1. All wastes must be fully labeled and secured within appropriately designed and constructed
containers.
2. Wastes must be transported only via goods elevator - not public elevators.
3. All containers must be packed to minimize the risk of breakage or rupture.
4. Spill kits and appropriately trained staff must accompany wastes.
5. Wastes must never be left unattended whilst waiting for collection by external agencies.

33. Transport
to
autoclaves/
incinerators

34. Autoclave
and
incinerator

35. Methods of
disposal
• Autoclaving
• Chemical disinfection
• Incineration
• Sewerage and drain system disposal

36. Autoclaving Used for theTreatment of Infectious wastes. Only special
autoclave bags may be used. All bags must carry an
indicator to show that waste has been subjected to
adequate heat treatment. Autoclaves must be tested at
least annually for adequate performance.

37. Autoclave
in medical
wastes

38. Chemical
disinfection
• Used for mopping up spills and for disinfectant baths
for routine laboratory work. Sodium hypochlorite
(0.5%) is used for potentiallyAIDS contaminated
equipment and disposables prior to autoclaving.
• 0.05% of Sodium Hypochlorite solution is used for
general laboratory clean up for Haematological work
not involving spills.
• 70% ethyl alcohol is used for standard clean up in
microbiology laboratories. Hypochlorite solution
should be rinsed off prior to autoclaving since
dangerous gasses may be generated when it is
autoclaved.

39. Incineration • Burning in a multichambered, monitored facility.At
RMIT any waste requiring high temperature
incineration is collected by specialized agencies.
Normal animal waste and carcasses are burned in the
Animal House Incinerator.All plastics or other
materials likely to produce toxic emissions must be
collected by specialist agencies.Completely burned
ashes are placed in sealed plastic bags and disposed of
through normal rubbish collection.

41. Sewerage
and drain
system
disposal
• Very dilute, non-toxic chemicals may be washed into
the sewerage system if approved by MelbourneWater.
There are significantly justifiable limits for materials
discharged into the Sewerage and Drain System