Office of Environmental Health and Safety


Biological and Biohazardous Waste Management Plan

Biological and Biohazardous Waste Generated and/or Handled On Campus

At Connecticut College, biological, and potentially biohazardous waste may be generated and/or handled at the following locations:

Health Services: (Includes biohazard spill clean up materials generated by the Spill Response Team, and materials generated by individual students, e.g., insulin needles/syringes.)

Zoology:

Neuroscience:

• Non-infectious, preserved and unpreserved animal carcasses and body parts.
• Contaminated laboratory solid waste, including sharps.

Types of Biomedical Waste

In accordance with the Connecticut regulation R.C.S.A. § 22a-209-15, Connecticut College segregates biomedical waste in the following categories:

• Sharps and any residual substances therein;
• Body fluids in quantities greater than 20 cubic centimeters;
• Other biomedical wastes ("red bag wastes").

If any biomedical waste is mixed with hazardous or radioactive waste, it shall be managed as hazardous or radioactive waste accordingly.

If any solid waste is mixed with biomedical waste, it shall be managed as biomedical waste accordingly.

Biohazardous Waste Storage Facility

The Biohazardous Waste Storage Facility is located in basement of the Warnshuis Health Center. Keys to the facility are maintained by the Director of Environmental Health and Safety, the Occupational Health Coordinator, Director of Student Health Services and the Supervisor of Grounds. Waste pick-ups should be coordinated with the Director of Environmental Health and Safety, or in his absence, the Occupational Health Coordinator.

Procedures for Disposal of Laboratory and Medical Sharps

1. Place discarded needles and syringes into an approved sharps container. An approved sharps container is one that is leak proof, puncture-resistant, closable, bears the biohazard symbol and is manufactured as a sharps container.
2. Do not clip, bend, break, or recap sharps. A sharps container must be permanently closed and disposed of through the Biohazard Storage Facility when it is not more than ¾ full.
3. Full sharps containers may be disposed of by calling the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at ext. 2252.

1. All biohazardous or pathological waste is to be packaged, contained and managed in a manner that prevents and protects the waste from release or spillage.
2. All primary containers (other than approved biohazard bags) used for medical waste collection, storage and disposal are to be labeled with a biohazard symbol, or the words "Medical Waste," or "Pathological Waste" in letters not less than one inch
   high. The preferable background color of all primary containers is red or orange fluorescent (e.g., biohazard bags).
3. All liquid cultures, infectious and non-infectious microbial organisms, and contaminated laboratory solid waste, shall be stored in closable, puncture-resistant containers and decontaminated by autoclaving, or soaking in a 10% bleach solution. A 10% solution corresponds to one and one half cups of household bleach per gallon of water, or one part bleach to ten parts water.
4. After decontamination, liquid waste can be disposed of in a sanitary sewer if no other hazardous materials are present (e.g., chemicals and/or radioactive materials). For information on the special handling of radioactive biohazardous waste, contact the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at ext. 2252. All solid cultures and stocks of materials contaminated with an infectious agent, culture dishes and related devices other than sharps, can be stored in leak-proof, biohazard bags prior to decontamination. If leakage or rupture of the biohazard bags is possible, then
   use of a secondary leak-proof container or bag is required.
5. Blood and blood products and body fluids may be disposed of by flushing down the sanitary sewer.
6. Biohazardous waste cannot be stored on the premises for more than 90 days.
7. All containers and equipment (e.g., refrigerators) used for storage shall be labeled with the biohazard sticker or the words medical waste, or pathological waste in letters not less than one inch high.

1. Tissues, body parts and carcasses must be separated from any liquid preservative. If necessary, screen the liquid to remove solid material.
2. A hazardous waste determiniation must be made on the liquid preservative, and if it is determined to be hazardous, it should then should be managed appropriately. (Refer to the Laboratory Hazardous Waste Determination Document and the Hazardous Waste Management Plan for guidance.)
3. Wrap tissues/carcasses in newspaper or other absorbent material.
4. Wrapped tissues should be double bagged and sealed in plastic. No free liquid should be present in the bags.
5. Identify bags with: P.I. name, location (department), and phone number, weight and a label indicating contents.
6. Contact the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at ext. 2252 to coordinate a pick up and transport to the Biological Waste Storage Facility.
   Preserved animal carcasses and tissues are then disposed of in the same manner as other pathological waste, by the biomedical waste disposal contractor.

Procedures for Disposal of Unpreserved Animal Carcasses and Tissues

1. Tissues, body parts and carcasses must be separated from any liquids. If necessary, screen the liquid to remove solid material.
2. Unpreserved liquids can be discarded down the drain.
3. Wrap tissues/carcasses in newspaper or other absorbent material.
4. Wrapped tissues should be double bagged or sealed in a plastic pail with a tight fitting cover. No free liquid should be present in the bag or pail.
5. Identify bags with: P.I. name, location (department), and phone number, weight and a label indicating contents.
6. Place the wrapped tissue/carcass in the departmental freezer, and contact the Director of Environmental Health and Safety to coordinate disposal.
7. Animal carcasses and tissues are then disposed of by the biomedical waste disposal contractor.