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Environmental Health
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714 W. Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-706-7055
Fax 410-706-8212

 
Special Medical or Pathological Waste

Definition:   Waste potentially contaminated with infectious agents, human, or animal tissues, or body fluids, or "sharps".

Examples: Microbiological cultures, clinical specimens (urine, feces, blood, etc.), all human and anatomical waste, all animal carcasses except those containing radioactive materials, contaminated animal bedding, all "sharps" not contaminated with radioactive materials.

For more detailed instructions see Procedure No. 3, Disposal of Special Medical Waste, UMB Environmental Health and Safety Procedures.

Guidelines:

Please Note: EMD/EHS will provide boxes and bags for new and existing bio-hazard waste producers.

Please Note: Do not place free flowing liquids in any containers.

Please Note: Petri dishes or stock solutions with media containing hazardous chemicals such as mercuric chloride must be containerized separately from the infectious waste without a hazardous chemical component.

Do not place chemical or radioactive waste in any Bio-hazardous "burn boxes".

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 Biologically contaminated laboratory materials, blood soiled articles, cultures, petri dishes containing media and stocks of infectious agents.

  1. Place a plastic bag in a bio-hazard waste disposal box or "burn box". Double bag any wet waste using absorbent material in the inner bag.

  2. Twist the plastic bag(s) at the top; bend the twisted portion to form a loop and seal using filament tape. Seal the bags individually when double bagging.

  3. Close the box and secure it with filament tape.

  4. Call EMD/EHS @ 6-7207 to request a Special Medical Waste pick-up. Please specify the number of new or replacement boxes needed.

"Sharps"

Examples of "Sharps": needles, syringes, scalpel blades, razor blades, etc.

Please Note: EMD/EHS does not provide "Sharps" containers.

Please Note: Do not place free-flowing liquids in sharps containers.

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  1. Place intact needles and syringes and other sharps into an autoclavable, puncture resistant "sharps" container.

  2. Do not recap, bend, remove or clip needles.

  3. Fill 3/4 full, snap the lid closed and secure with filament tape.

  4. Do not overfill or force fill the "sharps"container. This may result in puncture wounds.

  5. Call EMD/EHS@ 6-7207 to request waste pick-up.

"Contaminated Disposable Glassware"

Please Note: EMD/EHS does not provide Disposable Glassware boxes.

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  1. Decontaminate the glassware (e.g. autoclave, gas or chemical methods).

  2. Place in sturdy, sealable, cardboard box for disposal.

  3. Close the box and secure it with filament tape.

  4. Dispose as General Waste.

Animal Carcasses/Tissues

Animal carcasses that have been injected with regulated hazardous chemicals during the course of an experiment must be labeled with the amount of that hazardous chemical remaining in the animal carcass and disposed of as chemical waste..

For radioactive animal carcasses please see the radioactive waste section in the guidelines or Procedure No. 9, Disposal of Radioactive Waste, UMB Environmental Health and Safety Procedures.
  1. Place animal/tissue in a plastic bag, close, then double bag and place in the freezer.

  2. For pickup call:

  • Dental School call Animal Quarters @ 6-7260.

  • All Medical School Facilities, HSF, and Pharmacy School call Veterinary Resources @ 6-3540.

  • IHV and MBI call Vet Facility @ 6-2755.

  1. Questions:Call EMD/EHS @ 6-7207.
Whole Blood, Blood Components or other Body Fluids
An acceptable chemical disinfectant is 5 percent sodium hypochlorite (commercial bleach). Whole blood, blood components, or body fluids shall be disposed of down the sanitary sewer drain. Blood should be treated or disinfected prior to being disposed.

 
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