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OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to define biomedical waste and to provide information
on the handling and disposal of this waste stream. These guidelines are intended to ensure
the proper and safe management of biomedical waste at the University of Ottawa. A
summary of this document is provided in Appendix B. Both provincial and municipal
regulations, by-laws and consultative documents were referenced when drafting these
procedures.
¡ The information found within this document can be found on the Office of Risk
Management (ORM) web page; http://www.uottawa.ca/services/ehss/biosafety.htm
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
2. DEFINITIONS
Many terms are used to identify and characterize biomedical waste, such as:
biohazardous, pathological, and infectious. These terms are often used interchangeably
without clearly defining their subtle differences and similarities. To assist the reader these
terms are defined below. For the purpose of this document biomedical waste will be used
as the general term. Where the waste may be defined more specifically and require
special treatment, this procedure will specify the requirements.
Biomedical waste: Discarded biological material from teaching, clinical and research
laboratories and operations.
Principal Investigators:
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Ensure all lab staff/students have received proper training to deal with biomedical
waste. Communicate these guidelines to key personnel.
Ensure labs are equipped with the proper containers and or bags and that they are
ideally located.
4. GENERAL GUIDELINES
4.1 Segregation
Biomedical waste must be stored in a secure environment at all times.
Whenever possible, biomedical waste must not be mixed with chemical, radioactive
or other laboratory trash. This may be unavoidable (i.e. radioactive carcasses) and in
such instances special handling may be required. For further information contact
ORM.
The various types of biomedical waste should be segregated from each other.
Fluid waste should be contained separately from solid waste.
All containers for biomedical waste must display the biohazard symbol and the words
‘Biohazard’ in a colour contrasting the container.
Sharps
must be rigid, leak proof, puncture resistant and sealable
University currently uses 4.5L yellow containers
22.5L containers are available upon request
Label: University of Ottawa Hazardous Waste label
Anatomical/Animal Waste
Place waste in a red biohazard bag or a black
garbage bag if the waste will immediately be
stored in a barrel lined with red biohazard bags.
Barrels are approved heavy duty rigid cardboard.
Label: Each bag must be tagged with a completed
yellow incineration (necropsy) tag.
Solid
Collect waste in a red or orange autoclavable biohazard bag
Label: University of Ottawa Hazardous Waste label
For more info see the Autoclave Guidelines
Liquid
Use leak-proof containers which are able to withstand thermal or
chemical treatment
Label: University of Ottawa Hazardous Waste label
Vials
Deposited in approved sharps container
Label: University of Ottawa Hazardous Waste label
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Fluids
Use rigid leak-proof container
Label: University of Ottawa Hazardous Waste label
Saturated Items
same as solid waste or anatomical waste
Labels
4.3 Treatment
If not sent off-site for disposal, all biological waste should be decontaminated prior to
disposal (including level 1 agents). Decontamination of waste results in the destruction
or removal of microorganisms to a lower level, such that there is no danger of infection to
others. The two main choices for waste decontamination at the University of Ottawa are
autoclaving (preferred) and chemical disinfection. Waste that has been decontaminated
or disinfected is no longer considered biomedical waste. Therefore, once the waste has
been treated it can be disposed of in the regular waste stream. Any waste that cannot be
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
treated (i.e. sharps, carcasses, tissues and body parts) remains biomedical waste and must
be incinerated off site.
4.4 Handling/Transportation
Untreated waste should be handled as little as possible.
Avoid contaminating exterior surface of waste container, or ensure exterior surfaces
are decontaminated.
Avoid transport of untreated waste through non-lab or high traffic corridors.
Secondary containers must be used when transporting waste (especially for liquids).
The secondary containers should be decontaminated after use.
Whenever possible use carts with raised sides for transport.
Ensure containers or bags are tightly closed or taped shut during transport.
4.5 Collection
Collection of biomedical waste varies for different services or faculty/departments
depending upon waste generation practices, available resources or management
approaches. For more specific information contact your service or faculty/departmental
representative (Appendix A).
4.6 Storage
Although biomedical waste should be treated as promptly as possible it can be held
temporarily. Treatable waste should not be allowed to accumulate. Waste that is to be
disposed off-site should be stored in designated areas which are secure and access is
limited to delegated individuals. To prepare for off-site disposal the following measures
must be undertaken.
Sharps
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Anatomical/Animal Waste
4.7 Disposal
The service or faculty/department representatives will contact the ORM to arrange for a
waste pick-up from the storage area. Any further preparation for transport (i.e. labelling,
monitoring, and paper work) will be conducted by ORM. Biomedical waste is currently
picked up every week at Roger-Guindon Hall and bi-weekly at the Main Campus.
4.8 Re-supply
New and/or replacement supplies may be requested through the service or
faculty/department representative or through faculty stores. Those who produce
relatively low volumes of waste will have labels for their waste containers which have
contact information for disposal or re-supply.
Disposal/Re-supply label
4.9 Records
As biomedical waste is potentially hazardous, it is important to document the nature of
the waste. Labels attached to waste bags or sharps containers should detail the contents.
While the ORM maintains records of the type of waste (tissue or sharp), the weight and
the corresponding cost for disposal, each waste generator should have a system to track
their own waste. The following forms are used for tracking biomedical waste at the
University of Ottawa;
Sharps Waste Container Disposal Log - log is kept at the biomedical waste cage.
Radioactive Carcass Disposal Log - log is kept with disposal container and at the
decay freezer.
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
5. SPECIAL WASTES
* Note when the waste consists or both cytotoxic and anatomical components (i.e. tissue
from chemotherapy treated patient or animal) the anatomical classification assumes
priority.
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
uses, it is not possible to have one all encompassing mode of disposal. Please contact the
ORM to discuss disposal approaches which are tailored to the characteristics of your
waste.
Block, S.S. (Ed.). (2001). Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation, (5th Ed.). New
York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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LE BUREAU DE LA GESTION DU RISQUE, DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA SANTE SECURITE AU TRAVAIL
OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
141 BioSci
BIOLOGY Yves Genest Lab Technician x 6343 ygenest@science.uottawa.ca
Phase II
Chief Technician,
CHEMISTRY
Daniel Lafleur Undergraduate x 6813 dlafleur@science.uottawa.ca 308 MRN
EARTH SCIENCES
Labs
MEDICINE Environmental,
(all departments) Nancy Delcellier Health and Safety x 8046 ndelcell@uottawa.ca 2160 RGN
NURSING Officer
Biosafety
tpreseau@uottawa.ca
ORM Tina Preseau Compliance X 3153 306 BRS
Inspector
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Office of Risk Management Oct 04
Appendix B - Overview of Biomedical Waste Disposal Procedures
Biological Lab Waste Sharps Anatomical/Animal Waste Blood an Bodily Fluid Waste
Needles, syringes with needles,
Cultures, stocks or specimens of lancets, scalpels, razor blades,
Fluid blood and blood products, items saturated or dripping
microorganisms, live or attenuated and precision knives. Animals carcasses, tissues and body parts,
blood, body fluids contaminated with blood and body fluids
vaccines, human or animal cell Contaminated broken glass, infectious bedding, liquid or semi-liquid blood
Identification cultures and laboratory material pipettes, test tubes, microscope and blood products, body fluids, items
removed for diagnosis during surgery, treatment or autopsy.
This does not include urine or feces.
that has come into contact with slides, blood vials or any other contaminated with blood bodily fluids
these (solid and liquid). material capable of causing
punctures or cuts.
Once treated
affix a ‘non-
hazardous
Place inside approved cardboard
Place inside designated
Place inside approved
Place inside
approved 9
Packaging for waste’ sticker cardboard box For larger
box double lined with 2 yellow cardboard drum double volumes (+
disposal Place inside a Place inside approved cardboard double lined with 2
biohazard bags lined with 2 red biohazard 300ml) contact
sealed black drum double lined with 2 red yellow biohazard
bags ORM
garbage bag biohazard bags bags
Pour down
Regular Pour down ORM will arrange for off- Picked up by ORM – sent off-site for Picked up by ORM
Disposal garbage drain*
Picked up by ORM – sent off-site
site disposal incineration – sent off-site
drain*
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