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There is a difference between "sharps" waste and "laboratory
glass" waste and it is important to understand the difference and handle
these wastes accordingly.
Laboratory glass
and plasticware are not considered "sharps" for disposal purposes.
"Laboratory glass" (including plasticware) is any item that could puncture regular waste bags and
therefore endanger waste handlers. "Laboratory glass" must be placed in sturdy cardboard boxes
for safety during transport through the building. Any cardboard box may be used, provided
it is sturdy and of a size that will not weight more than 40 pounds when full.
Boxes must be labeled with the room number and principal investigator's name and sealed with a
special "laboratory glass" tape. Place the sealed box alongside your regular waste container for collection by Custodial
Services.
Never use these boxes for the disposal of:
- sharps
- biohazardous materials that have not been autoclaved
- liquid wastes
- chemically contaminated laboratory glassware/plasticware
- chemical containers that cannot be disposed of as regular solid waste.
Contaminated laboratory glass must be appropriately
decontaminated prior to disposal.
Glass pasteur pipettes not used for biological materials may be disposed of in a large plastic
bucket which is labeled with lab glass tape, the principal investigator's name and room number.
These buckets are not autoclavable so they must never be used for biologically contaminated
items.
(Consult the UW Chemical Waste Management Guide found in the UW Laboratory Safety
Manual for more information on the disposal of chemical wastes).
Sharps are a restricted waste according to state and local regulators
and must not be disposed of in the regular waste stream. The term "sharps" is a
regulatory waste classification associated with those instruments used to puncture, cut,
or scrape body parts and that, as waste, can cause punctures or cuts to solid waste
handlers or the public. This is interpreted to mean that any instrument that looks like
it is meant to be used in this manner must be disposed of as sharps waste. The sharps
definition includes, but is not limited to, the following items:
- hypodermic needles
- syringes
- IV tubing with needles attached
- lancets
- scalpel blades
- glass pasteur pipettes
- microtome blades
- dental scalers
- razor blades
- other sharp, metal lab waste
Such items must be disposed of in an authorized sharps container which is leak proof, rigid,
puncture-resistant, and durable plastic. It is red in color and equipped with a tight-fitting lid for
use during handling and transport. Sharps containers should be labeled with the Principal Investigator's name and the room number and disposed of when full.
Sharps disposal, like all biological waste at the University of Washington, is
dependent upon the location of generation. Please refer to the location-specific Biological Waste Flow Charts.
In Magnuson Health Sciences Building sterilized sharps containers can be placed alongside (not inside) the regular waste container for the laboratory.
Custodial Services is responsible for pickup and disposal in Magnuson Health Sciences.
Environmental Services handles sharps disposal at UWMC (206.598.6181) and HMC Research & Teaching Building (206.731.3131).
In all other locations, sharps containers must be disposed of by the University's biomedical waste contractor. Contact Property and Transport Services (206.685.8275) to set up an account for pickup and disposal of filled sharps collectors.
For those autoclaving their sharps containers in Magnuson Health Sciences Building, place a piece of autoclave tape over the biohazard
symbol on the container prior to autoclaving. The vent holes on the lid should not be covered
during the autoclave cycle. Place the lid on container and seal with tape prior to placing the container at the
designated collection point for your department. (Designated collection points are usually next to
the regular waste container.) If you do not have an autoclave in your lab, contact Environmental Health and Safety for
information on alternatives.
Large plastic buckets used for glass pasteur pipettes are not autoclavable so they must never
be used for biologically contaminated items.
If you have questions about sharps disposal or infectious wastes in general, please contact Environmental Health and Safety at 206.543.9510 or email: ehsdept@u.washington.edu.
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