Why NPR Cares

We are passionate about the health and safety of our healthcare workers, the people in our communities, and the condition of our planet. Even though we do not directly handle the disposal of biohazardous waste we encourage the professionals we work with to challenge the ways they organize and dispose of ALL waste.

What is Biohazardous Waste

Red medical bags are made to safely hold biohazardous waste. But what is biohazardous waste? Biohazardous waste is waste which has the risk of carrying human pathogens such as bodily fluids, human tissue or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

How it is Collected

The segregation of hazardous waste is crucial to proper containment and disposal. Certain items that are placed in a red bag are separated into their own containers as well. Anything sharp that could poke through the bag and cause leaks or injury are collected in a hard-plastic box first. Material that can leak or eat through the plastic of a red bag should also be collected in a separate container. The red bag is used as a liner for a hard container with a lid. Each side of this container is marked clearly as biohazardous waste for added safety. These bags are strong but certain chemicals can burn through them if the extra barriers are not there, making a dangerous mess.

Where it Goes

Biohazard bags are handled with extreme care. Procedures are in place to determine everything from what is placed inside the bag to personal protective equipment when handling and moving the bag of waste. In the past this biohazardous waste was separated into plastic boxes and disposed of with the rest of their trash. To protect the environment and people who encounter this waste it is now regulation to take it to special treatment facilities. A specially licensed medical waste contractor collects red medical bags to ensure it is treated with caution and disposed of appropriately.

How it is Treated

Once biohazardous waste makes its way to a treatment facility it is made safe by a sterilization process. Waste that cannot be recycled is sanitized before it is thrown into a dump or landfill. This is done by subjecting the material to elevated temperatures to kill the bacteria making the once hazardous material safe. When the waste has been treated and is no longer hazardous, it can be thrown out in the normal manner. Waste that can be recycled is simply melted down to sanitize it and is then sent to be reused.