Biosafety Fundamentals and Waste Management

Basics of Biosafety

  • Contamination Identification
    • Assess if materials are contaminated with viable biological material.
    • Examples of Potential Contamination:
    • Lab waste
    • Personal protective equipment (PPE) used for handling infectious materials (e.g., handling infected animals or their products)
    • Wastes from infectious disease research (e.g., carcasses, body fluids)

Blood and Body Fluids Management

  • Release of Biological Materials
    • Investigate if blood, body fluids, or viable biological materials can be released.
    • Examples:
    • Tubes of blood
    • Vacuum flasks containing body fluids or cell line waste

Needles & Sharps Precautions

  • Safety Measures:
    • Use designated sharps containers to prevent injuries.
    • Critical Rules:
    • DO NOT break, bend, re-sheath, or reuse syringes or needles.
    • Avoid touching broken glass with hands.
    • DO NOT place needles or sharps in office waste containers.

Managing Liquid Biohazardous Waste

  • Storage Protocols:
    • Label and secure bulk vessels if they are not immediately disposed of.
  • Treatment Options:
    • Chemical disinfection or autoclaving.
  • Disposal Methods:
    • Flush into sewer with proper PPE.
Disinfectant Guidelines
  • 10% Bleach Solution:
    • Effective for general disinfection, but use 20% for high organics.
    • Needs to be prepared weekly and test contact time.
  • Ethanol:
    • Use a 70% solution for most effectiveness.
    • Longer contact time is required, handle with care as it is flammable.
    • Research effectiveness and contact times for specific agents.

Managing Non-Sharp Biohazardous Waste

  • Container Requirements:
    • Use labeled containers lined with biohazardous waste bags, fitted with lids.
    • Bags must be securely tied for transport to treatment/collection sites.
    • Utilize secondary containment during transport to minimize exposure in public areas.
Broken Non-sharps Biowaste
  • Store in puncture-resistant, closable containers to capture leakage.
  • Avoid using sharps containers for non-sharps waste.

Effective Waste Autoclaving

  • Autoclaving Procedures:
    • Leave bag open or loosely closed during autoclaving.
    • Add water to bags containing primarily dry materials.
    • Ensure steam contacts materials:
    • Place bags in autoclavable trays to prevent leaks.

Treated Waste Bag Disposal

  • Allow waste bags to cool, using a fume hood to manage odors.
  • Securely tie the bag shut and place it in non-transparent black bags for regular disposal.
  • Important Reminder: No orange bags in dumpsters.

Assessing Sharps Hazards

  • Examples of Sharps Hazards:
    • Needles, syringes, scalpels, and other biologically contaminated objects capable of penetrating skin (e.g., Pasteur pipettes, razor blades).
  • Disposal Protocol:
    • Place sharps in approved sharps containers.

Sharps Containers Overview

  • Container Requirements:
    • Must be leak-proof, puncture-resistant, closable, and labeled with biohazard symbols.
  • Usage Guidelines:
    • Place tops on containers before use on lab benches.
    • Date containers upon first use; remember they are one-way disposal systems.
    • Use sharps containers solely for disposing of sharps, not for solid biohazardous waste like gauze, pipettes, or gloves.

Sharps Container Disposal Procedures

  • Containers must be permanently closed and disposed of within specific timelines:
    • Within 90 days of first use or when ¾ full.
    • Dispose of through authorized waste management methods (landfill, incineration).

Safety Notes on Sharps Use

  • Do not re-cap sharps and keep containers close to the point of use for easy disposal.
  • Avoid carrying needles in pockets to minimize risk.

Handling Carcasses and Body Parts

  • Human Tissues:
    • Unfixed tissues are to be treated as medical waste and made unrecognizable.
  • Animal Tissues & Carcasses:
    • Generated in infectious disease or recombinant DNA research are considered medical waste.
    • Must be stored in biolabeled, leakproof containers for incineration.

Managing Other Waste

  • Drain bottles of non-hazardous materials before disposal.
    • <3% of volume can be considered empty; higher volumes require different disposal methods.
  • Medications:
    • Do not discard in trash; return to source or contact the campus waste group for proper disposal.

Conclusion

  • Questions about biosafety practices and waste management are encouraged to ensure a safe working environment.