Understanding Biomedical Waste Management Color Coding
Infectious waste
Tools that come into contact with the body’s fluids like plaster casts, cotton swabs and bandages etc., are a part of this category of biomedical waste.
Sharp waste
Usually, this will include anything sharp or has a sharp edge that can cut or puncture. The items included are scalpels, needles and blades. These are often categorized as hazardous medical waste.
Contaminated yet recyclable waste
The waste in this category will include disposable medical equipment like intravenous tubes, bottles, syringes, gloves and catheters etc.
Medical, chemical waste
Usually, any chemicals that are used in the production of disinfectants fall into this category. It will include lab liquids, and Formalin etc.
Pathological waste
Usually, this is waste that comes out of the human body, i.e. organs, tissues, and other body parts.
Expired medical waste or drug waste
It is referred to as pharmaceutical waste, consisting of antibiotics and other cytotoxic drugs.
Laboratory waste
The waste category will include bags, microorganisms, toxins, and vaccines often used as part of lab research.
The Extra Benefits of Color Coding Biomedical Waste
Color coding waste is essentially a form of easy segregation. Using this form of segregation helps to:
- Reduce the amount of biomedical waste which has to be treated in a specific way.
- Offer more opportunities to recycle the medical waste after sterilization.
- Prevent sharp objects from reuse or other illegal purposes.