Biomedical Waste Management

1. PURPOSE: This SOP explains the procedure for discarding of tested samples and biomedical waste generated during testing procedure.    

2. STAFF RESPONSIBLE AND AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM THE PROCEDURE: All the technicians and laboratory cleaners

3. PRINCIPLE OF PROCEDURE USED FOR EXAMINATION – Not applicable

1.     SAMPLE – Bio Medical waste generated during testing

2.     TYPE OF CONTAINER– Plastic buckets

6.  MATERIALS, EQUIPMENTS AND REAGENTS USED–

• Discarding container of 1% Na hypochlorite
• Red Bags
• Yellow Bag
• Blue Bag
• Green/black Bag
• Autoclave

7.     PROCEDURE:

PREPARATION OF NA HYPOCHLORITE: 1%

1. Make fresh every day.
2. Disslove 10 gram of sodium hypochlorite powder in 1 liter of distilled water at the beginning of day’s work.
3. If quantity required is more, then weigh sodium.hypochlorite powder accordingly and dissolve in water.
4. If 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite is provided then take 200 ml of 5% of Na hypochlorite and dissolve in 1 liter of water.
5. Keep sodium hypochlorite in thick leak proof beaker and keep it covered with aluminum foil.

SEGREGATION OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE:

1. Segregate waste into the prescribed categories at the point of generation.
2. Color coded bags are used as per international norms.
3. All waste is decontaminated (chemically/autoclaving) at the laboratory before final disposal.
4. Container and color coding for disposal of bio-medical lab wastes:
5. Segregation is done at the site of the generation of the waste in different colour coding bags.
1. Non infected materials like wrappers, papers etc – Black/Green colour plastic bag  
2. Waste sharps (Needles, broken glass tubes, Scalpels, Scissors etc.) - Blue colour puncture proof container.      
3. Infected Soiled wastes ( Linen, Aprons, gauge pieces, Cotton) - Yellow colour plastic bags.
4. Infected plastic waste (culture plates, syringes, serum vials, swab sticks, microtips etc) Red color plastic bags.

Following scheme is practiced for decontamination and disposal of waste generated in the

lab:

Materials	Methods of disinfection	Disposal	Reuse
Blood samples tubes	autoclave in blue bag	in common waste	-
Cotton plugs, cotton swabs without stick	autoclave in yellow bag	in common waste	-
Microtips & Microtitre plates, Remains of kit reagents	discard In 1% hypochlorite solution for 30minutes,  autoclave in red bag	in common waste	-
Serum vials	autoclave in red bag	in common waste	-
Mixing sticks	immerse in 1% hypochlorite sol. for 30minutes, autoclave in red bag	in common waste	-
Glass pipette	Autoclave in a container		Wash, clean, sterilize & reuse
Disposable pipette	autoclave in red bag	in common waste	-
Trough	immerse in 2% gluteraldehyde sol. for 30minutes, wash with distilled water		wash with distilled water, dry & reuse
Gloves	mutilate, immerse in 1% hypochlorite sol. for 30minutes, autoclave in red bag	in common waste	-
Eppendorf tubes	immerse in 1% Na hypochlorite sol.  for 30minutes, autoclave in beaker,		wash, clean and sterilize
All non-infectious waste like papers, kit boxes, wrapers,food items, polythene bags	discard directly in green/black bag	in common waste	-

DISPOSAL OF WASTE:

All the waste generated in the department is sent to common waste collection site ( Near Khodiyar Mata Mandir) of civil hospital after decontamination..All the waste management is supervised by senior technician.

8.  PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION – Not applicable

9. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Wear apron, goggles, heavy duty thick gloves while preparing disinfectant.
2. Perform all the activities slowly and avoid splashing.
3. Handle all the infectious materials with utmost precautions. Wear gloves and plastic aprons while handling.

10. REVIEW, RECORDS, REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATION

• DR 21 Biomedical Waste Disposal Register

11. REFERENCE

• NACO, guidelines for HIV testing, Mar. 2007; chapter 4, Biosafety in laboratories; Page: 19 – 33.