Red Bag/Medical Waste

Regulated Medical Waste, also known as “Red Bag” waste, consists of the following wastes types:

  • Sharps and Biohazard Glassware- includes syringe needles and sharps (razor or scalpel blades), pipettes, pipette tips, microscope slides, and other glass or plastic items that have been exposed to potentially infectious biological materials or biological agents. 
  • Preserved Animal Carcasses.
  • Non-Preserved Animal Carcasses.
  • Infectious Biological Material- includes blood and blood products, cultures and culture stocks.

Due to the potential for these wastes to be contaminated with infectious materials and/or biological agents, the NYSDEC strictly regulates the storage and disposal of Regulated Medical Waste.

All Regulated Medical Waste must be stored in specially designated red containers as discussed in the following section.  These containers are supplied by University EH&S.  Each is specially designed to meet NYSDEC requirements and therefore substitutes are not to be used. Download the Sharps and Laboratory Glass Disposal (PDF).

All containers must be stored in an area that meets all of the following requirements:

  • The area is designated for storage and is labeled with the word “Biohazard” or the universal biohazard symbol;
  • The area is ventilated; and,
  • The area is in a location that minimizes exposure to the public and is accessible only to authorized faculty and staff.

Prior to final disposal, autoclavable bags and sharps containers are overpacked into pre-marked cardboard boxes that are provided by the University’s Medical Waste Disposal Company.

Caution must be used in the collection of Regulated Medical Waste.  If regular trash is mixed with untreated medical waste (i.e., not treated in an autoclave), the combined waste must be managed as Regulated Medical Waste.  If hazardous waste or radioactive waste is mixed with untreated Regulated Medical Waste, the combined waste must be managed as a hazardous waste or radioactive waste, respectively.

Finally, all staff or faculty with responsibility for managing Regulated Medical Waste must be trained in the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen regulations. 

Storage and Disposal

Sharps and Biohazard Glassware

Syringes, needles and sharps, including razor and scalpel blades, must be stored and packaged in special red hard plastic biohazard containers when being discarded.  This is true even if the syringe or sharp item was not used for biohazardous operations.

Pipettes, pipette tips, microscope slides, as well as other glass or plastic items that have been exposed to potentially infectious biological materials must also be stored and packaged in special red hard plastic biohazard containers.

Containers are available from EH&S staff at the various campuses as follows:

  • Queens campus contact Science Supply at (718) 990-6279
  • Staten Island campus contact Facility Services at (718) 390-4478
  • Manhattan campus contact Facility Services at (212) 815-9280
  • Oakdale campus contact Facility Services at (631) 872-0309

According to New York State Medical Waste Regulations, once a sharps container is full, the container must be closed. See proper disposal procedures.

Preserved Animal Carcasses

Preserved animals or animal parts must be double-bagged in special red plastic biohazard bags. These bags are designed to be impermeable and contain the word “Biohazard” or the universal biohazard symbol. These bags are only available from EH&S. After the bags are filled, follow the disposal requirements.

Non-Preserved Animal Carcasses

Non-preserved animals or animal parts must be double-bagged in special red plastic biohazard bags and kept in a freezer. At the Jamaica campus the freezer is located in the Animal Care Center in the penthouse of St. Albert’s Hall. Follow the proper disposal requirements for this material.

Infectious Biological Material

Infectious biological material, including blood and blood products, cultures and culture stocks (currently, only produced at the Jamaica campus) must be placed in an autoclavable bag as provided by the Biology Department (St. Albert’s Hall, Room 261) and autoclaved for thirty (30) minutes. After sterilization and cooling, follow the disposal requirements (Infectious Biological Material).

Blood and blood products resulting from health care activities provided at the various campuses, generated by accidents involving students or staff, or generated during the administration of first aid, must be placed in special “red biohazard bags.”  After the bags are filled, follow the disposal requirements.

Only waste transporters and disposal facilities approved by the Director of EH&S may be utilized.   All waste shipment documentation, including Medical Waste Tracking Forms, are to be signed only by those individuals approved by the Director of EH&S.  All such individuals must have training that meets the requirements of federal hazardous materials transportation regulations law (i.e., 49 CFR 172, Subpart H).  Copies of waste disposal documentation must be retained for at least 3 years. 

Sharps and Biohazard Glassware

After being filled, biohazard containers holding sharps and biohazard glassware (including syringes, needles razor, scalpel blades, and contaminated broken glassware) should be taken to the central storage area for pickup by an EH&S approved Regulated Medical Waste Disposal Contractor.

Preserved Animal Carcasses

Plastic biohazard bags containing preserved animals or animal parts must be taken to the central storage area for pickup by an EH&S approved Regulated Medical Waste Disposal Contractor.  As appropriate, the central storage area will have special containers for animal parts disposal in which to place the plastic biohazard bags.

Non-Preserved Animal Carcasses

Plastic biohazard bags containing non-preserved animals or animal parts must be taken from the freezer to the central storage area for pickup by an EH&S approved Regulated Medical Waste Disposal Contractor. As appropriate, the central storage area will have special containers for animal parts disposal in which to place the biohazard bags.

Note: It is important that the bags containing the non-preserved animals or animal parts be kept in the freezer until the day of the pickup.  At the Queens campus the bags must be moved from the freezer to the central storage area (St. Albert’s Hall, Room SB17A) before 8:00 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays.

Infectious Biological Material

Plastic biohazard bags, containing infectious biological material that have been autoclaved (including blood and blood products, cultures and culture stocks), must be taken to the central storage area for pickup by an EH&S approved Regulated Medical Waste Disposal Contractor. As appropriate, the central storage area will have special containers for infectious biological materials in which to place the plastic biohazard bags.

Plastic biohazard bags containing blood and blood products resulting from health care activities provided at the various campuses, generated by accidents involving students or staff, or generated during the administration of first aid, must be taken to the central storage area for pickup by an EH&S approved Regulated Medical Waste Disposal Contractor. As appropriate, the central storage area will have special containers for infectious biological materials in which to place the plastic biohazard bags.