Waste category

Description and example

Sharp Waste

Used or unused sharps

e.g., hypodermic, intravenous, or other needles; auto-disable syringes; syringes with attached needles; infusion sets; scalpels; pipettes; knives; blades; broken glass.

Infectious Waste

Waste suspected to contain pathogens and pose a risk of disease transmission

e.g., waste contaminated with blood and other body fluids; laboratory cultures and microbiological stocks; waste including excreta and other materials that have been in contact with patients infected with highly infectious diseases in isolation wards.

Pathological Waste

Human tissues, organs or fluids; body parts; fetuses; unused blood products

Waste generated in any setting where tissue or blood specimens may be required for diagnostics or treatments e.g., organs, tissues, surgical specimens, bodily fluids removed during surgeries and autopsies.

Pharmaceutical Waste

Pharmaceuticals that are expired or no longer needed; items contaminated by or containing pharmaceuticals

Cytotoxic waste containing substances with genotoxic properties, e.g., waste containing

cytostatic drugs (often used in cancer therapy); genotoxic chemicals

Chemical Waste

Waste containing chemical substances

e.g., laboratory reagents; film developer; disinfectants that are expired or no longer needed; solvents; waste with high heavy metal content, e.g., batteries; broken thermometers and blood pressure gauges

Radioactive Waste

Waste containing radioactive substances

e.g., unused liquids from radiotherapy or laboratory research; contaminated glassware, packages, or absorbent paper; urine and excreta from patients treated or tested with unsealed radionuclides; sealed sources