Many people have heard the term biohazardous waste, but very few know exactly what it means. According to Daniels Health, biohazard waste is defined as a “biological material that has the potential to taint an object or individual that comes into contact with it. In even simpler terms, the definition of a biohazardous waste product can be anything contaminated with potentially infectious materials.”
While this definition feels quite vague, there is a reason for that – many different substances can be considered biohazardous waste and the most important thing to note is that it can be dangerous if you come in contact with it without the proper training. Curious to learn more about the most common examples, how to dispose of biohazardous waste, and when it’s time to hire professional help? Keep reading for more information.
Examples of biohazard waste
Biohazardous waste is commonly found in medical facilities and controlled laboratory environments, where uniforms including PPE like masks, gloves, and gowns are required for all who enter and/or work there. While these controlled environments have known protocols for disposal, they are not the only environments where this waste can be found. In fact, biohazardous waste can be found anywhere and must be handled with incredible care and sensitivity.
Some common examples of biohazardous waste according to the United Medical Industries include:
- Liquid waste including bodily fluids or blood that may contain an infectious agent.
- Solid waste such as PPE, towels, linens, and pipettes that came into contact with an infectious agent.
- Sharp waste like needles, scalpels, broken glass, and more (anything sharp enough to puncture the skin).
- Pathological waste including animal or human organs, tissues, or body parts.
- Microbiological waste like culture dishes and specimen cultures.
Disposing of waste varies depending on what it is
Since all of these types of biohazardous waste are vastly different from the others, they should each be treated with caution and have specific and important disposal methods to follow. For example, solid biohazardous waste should be collected in a designated container lined with an autoclave bag that is marked with a biohazard symbol whereas liquid waste should be collected in leak-proof containers that are secured so they do not tip over and sharp waste must be placed in specifically-designed containers that are resistant to punctures, leak-proof, and safe to handle.
The most important thing to remember is that if you are not an expert on how to safely clean and dispose of biohazard waste, you should leave the job for trained experts to handle.
When to hire a professional biohazard cleanup company
It’s clear to see how cleaning up and disposing of biohazard waste can quickly become an incredibly difficult process. If the waste becomes too much to handle, if you are even remotely concerned about your safety, and/or if you are too attached to the scene to clean or properly dispose of biohazard waste, it’s important to bring in the experts. Professional cleanup companies that are certified in biohazard cleanup and recovery like Xtreme Cleaners have the knowledge, skills, proper equipment, and sensitivity to handle any job effectively and efficiently.
Our team of experts are licensed and skilled technicians, fully prepared to service any situation and our biohazard specialists are thoroughly trained to comply with the OSHA standards for blood and body fluid cleanup so you can feel rest assured that you’re in good hands. If you or someone you know needs help cleaning and disposing of biohazard waste in Louisiana due to a crime, accidental death, abandoned meth lab, or for any other reason, give us a call any time at 800-524-9591 and our team is happy to help.