Known or suspected to be contaminated.
Infectious waste needs to be treated to reduce / eliminate the risks present. Because of this, it costs more to treat and dispose of infectious waste than other healthcare wastes so it is important to practice good waste segregation. It is extremely important that proper waste segregation is practiced.
Yellow Containers & Bags
The yellow waste stream is used for infectious waste disposal such as:
- Blood & items visibly soiled with blood
- Contaminated waste from patients with transmissible infectious diseases
- Incontinent wear from patients with known or suspected enteric pathogens
- Items contaminated with body fluids other than faeces, urine or breast milk i.e. pus, sputum or peritoneal fluid
- Other healthcare infectious wastes
Yellow Lidded Container
Yellow lidded containers must be used when disposing of:
- Blood and blood administration sets
- Body fluids but not in bulk and must be solidified Disposable suction liners
- Redivac drains
- Drained histopathology waste (no formaldehyde) Sputum containers from known or suspected TB cases
- Clinical wastes from Lab permitted (no chemical residues
permitted)
Purple Sharps Containers
Purple sharps containers are used for infectious waste disposal waste such as:
- Needles, syringes, sharp instruments etc. that have been used for the administration of cytotoxic waste.
- Controlled drugs (discharge first)
Black lidded containers
Black Lidded containers must be used for the following types of infectious waste disposal:
Recognisable anatomical waste
- Blood or tissue suspected of CJD contamination
- Non autoclaved risk group 2 & 3 lab cultures
- Bulk metal objects e.g. laryngoscope blades
Experienced and reputable
Our experienced teams provide advice and guidance for appropriate handling, containment, transportation and infectious waste disposal.
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FAQ's - Infectious Waste Disposal
What is infectious waste?
Infectious waste is waste that is hazardous to any person or animal that comes into contact with it.
How to dispose of infectious waste
Different types of infectious waste require different methods of disposal. You can find out more about which are the relevant containers for the type of infectious waste here
What colour bag do I need for infectious waste?
Certain types of infectious waste can be disposed of in yellow bags, but different types of infectious waste need to be disposed of in different containers. You can find out more here.
What is the difference between infectious and non-infectious waste?
Infectious waste is potentially hazardous to those who come in contact with it and needs either treatment to render safe prior to disposal or incineration.
Non-infectious waste is not hazardous to those who come in contact with it and is suitable for direct disposal or recycling.
What bins/bags should you use for infectious waste?
Different types of Infectious waste are disposed of in different methods. You can find out more about the types of containers here.