Microbiological Waste

Definition: cultures and stocks of infectious agents, and associated microorganisms and biologicals. Discarded cultures, culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures, stocks, specimens, live and attenuated vaccines and associated items if they are likely to contain organisms likely to be pathogenic to healthy humans. Discarded etiologic agents and wastes from the production of biologicals and antibiotics likely to have been contaminated by organisms likely to be pathogenic to healthy humans. Waste that originates from clinical or research laboratory procedures involving communicable infectious agents.

Note: Microbiological waste that is also considered a ‘sharp’ as defined below, should be managed first and foremost as a ‘sharp’. It is also important to note what materials your laboratories are working with, as there are special guidelines from CDC on how to handle infectious microorganisms at biosafety level (BSL) 3 and BSL 4. Recent federal regulations require healthcare facility laboratories to maintain the capability of destroying discarded cultures and stocks on-site if these laboratories isolate from a clinical specimen any microorganism or toxin identified as a ‘select agent’ from a clinical specimen (Table 27- CDC Report on Environmental Infection Control)

References
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, DC. Possession, use, and transfer of select gents and toxins, interim final rule (42 CFR part 73) Federal Register, December 13, 2002; 67(240):76885–905.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002; Possession, use, and transfer of biological agents and toxins: Interim final rule (9 CFR Part 121). Federal Register. December 13, 2002; 667(2240):76907–38.