Biohazard waste is generally defined as any waste contaminated with potentially infectious agents or materials that may pose a threat to public health or the environment. Biohazardous waste bags are what will collect theses agents or materials. Biohazardous waste differs from medical waste. Medical waste is generated in labs or clinical settings that is not contaminated, but could appear hazardous to outsiders. While Biohazardous waste, aka infectious waste, is waste contaminated with potentially infectious agents or other materials that that are deemed a threat to public health/environment.
In This Article
Why Do We Need Special Bags?
Without biohazardous waste bags, there is a huge risk for local wildlife contamination and personal injury. If one had to dispose of their medical waste in a normal garbage bag, there would be a good chance that infectious materials would leak into our water system.
Also, it is a required law that biohazardous waste is disposed of within a set of requirements. These biohazard waste bags are imperative in this process. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is the federal agency that enforces these requirements.
Where Can I Get These Bags?
MedPro Disposal offers an array of medical waste disposal services. From simply disposing of your medical waste, to removing your all unused/expired pharmaceuticals, MedPro Disposal can handle it all. Using our medical waste disposal program, you will receive a biohazardous waste bag to collect any waste contaminated with potentially infectious agents or materials that may pose a threat to public health and the environment.
Common Questions
- What is considered biohazard waste?
- Biohazard waste is any waste contaminated with blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials that could transmit disease. OSHA's definition covers liquid or semi-liquid blood; items that would release blood if compressed or are caked with dried blood that could flake off; contaminated sharps; and pathological and microbiological wastes. Common examples include saturated gauze, contaminated PPE, suction canisters, cultures, needles, and surgical tissue.
- What's the difference between biohazard waste and medical waste?
- Biohazard waste is a subset of medical waste. Medical waste is the broad category that can include pharmaceuticals and chemicals; biohazard waste specifically refers to material that contains or may contain infectious agents. For the broader category, see our medical waste disposal guide.
- What color are biohazard bags and labels?
- OSHA requires biohazard labels to be fluorescent orange or orange-red, with the biohazard symbol and the word “BIOHAZARD” in a contrasting color. Red bags or red containers may be used instead of labels, which is why biohazard waste is often called “red bag” waste.
- How much does biohazard waste disposal cost?
- Cost depends on waste volume, pickup frequency, container size, waste type, and location; pathological and pharmaceutical waste generally cost more to treat than standard biohazard waste. MedPro customers save an average of 30% versus their previous provider — request a free quote for pricing specific to your facility.
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