Biosafety in the Laboratory Prudent Practices for Handling and Disposal of Infectious Materials (1989) / Chapter Skim
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4 Safe Disposal of Infectious Laboratory Waste
4 Safe Disposal of Infectious Laboratory Waste
Pages 34-45
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From page 34... ...
Sanitary sewer systems, which consist of pipes and pumps to convey pathogen-laden sewage to a treatment plant, effectively provide such a barrier. Once the waste reaches the sewage treatment plant, other mechanisms help to reduce the disease-causing potential of the material.
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From page 35... ...
The source of the infectious waste may be a patient in a health care facility, an experimental animal in an infectious disease vivarium, or the culture medium used for the propagation of an infectious agent. The processes that generate the waste provide the means by which the infectious agent escapes from the reservoir.
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From page 36... ...
Hospitals, health care facilities, medical research institutions, and industrial facilities can generate infectious laboratory waste. Categories of operation that produce infectious waste include the following: · operations that involve the processing and analysis of specimens for diagnosis, separation or purification of cells or substances from human blood and body fluids, and in vitro and in vivo methods for the propagation of pathogenic microorganisms; · medical operations in which invasive procedures are likely to result in waste contaminated with blood and body fluids from an individual who harbors an infectious agent; BIOSAFETY IN THE LABORATORY · veterinary operations involving the study of zoonotic disease in which infected animal carcasses and tissues, contaminated fomites such as disposable instruments and supplies, and contaminated bedding materials are produced; · anatomical pathology services where workers process specimens from individuals either known to harbor, or who are at an increased risk of harboring, an infectious agent; · diagnostic, research, and industrial operations that involve the collection and processing of bulk quantities of human blood, blood deriva tives, or body fluids; and · the production of biological products in which pathogenic microorganisms are used, such .
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From page 37... ...
E WASTE HANDLING AND TREATMENT METHODS The prudent management of infectious laboratory waste requires the development of site-specif~c plans.
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From page 38... ...
Rigid, puncture-resistant, sealable containers are necessary for packaging "sharps," e.g., broken glass, brittle plasticware, needles, and scalpel blades. Wet waste should be packaged with sufficient absorbent materials to contain residual liquids and to minimize leakage.
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From page 39... ...
5. Steam Autoclaving Steam autoclaving usually is considered to be the method of choice for decontaminating cultures, labo ratory glassware, pipettes, syringes, or other small items known to be contaminated with infectious agents.
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From page 40... ...
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From page 41... ...
Caution is essential while adding water to a load, to minimize the potential for aerosolizing infectious agents in the waste. Drain lines from steam autoclaves can be connected to the sanitary sewer except for those installed in maximum containment laboratories (Biosafety Level 4~.
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From page 42... ...
Each of the different treatment methods for infectious laboratory waste requires a different set of conditions to be effective. Effective autoclaving is dependent upon time, temperature, and steam penetration, whereas effective incineration is dependent upon time, temperature, and turbulence.
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From page 43... ...
Several factors in addition to Pose associated with the infectious nature of the waste should be considered in selecting an appropriate method of treatment. Some of the more implant factors are the type and volume of waste generated; other hazardous properties of the waste (e.g., radioactivity, volatility, flammability, chemical toxicity, and temperature sensitivity [22,911~; the availability of validated treatment methods and recommended safety precautions; the permit and license status of the generator to treat hazardous waste; the quantity and characteristics of the end products after treatment; and the relevant regulations, permits, and packaging requirements for the disposal of the regulated hazardous materials in the mixed waste.
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From page 44... ...
Chemical decontamination of mixed waste requires an assessment prior to treatment to avoid potential occupational hazards or difficult disposal problems. For example, decontamination of mixed waste containing radioiodine with sodium hypochlorite could result in the release of the radionuclide.
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From page 45... ...
Hypodermic needles and surgical blades often are packaged in disposable buckets made from a high-strength, temperature-resistant plastic. Used disposable needles and syringes should be placed, intact, directly into the waste receptacle without recapping.
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