#  Biological Waste 

 



## Summary

How to manage and dispose of biological waste.

## Who is this for?

All students, faculty, and staff who manage or dispose of biological waste.



 

 

##  Managing biological waste 

Multiple agencies regulate managing biological and regulated medical waste, which includes:

- Animal waste.
- Biotechnology by-product effluents such as cultures and solutions contaminated with microorganisms (including genetically modified microorganisms).
- Human blood and materials contaminated with human blood.
- Human parts, tissues, and fluids.
- Infectious agent cultures and all non-decontaminated labware used with cultures generated in research or clinical labs.
- Mixed biohazardous waste.
- Recombinant and synthetic nucleic acids.
- [Unused or biologically-contaminated sharps](/resource/sharps-disposal "Sharps Disposal").



 

##  Related resources 

Find documents and online tools to manage biological waste.

 

 



  [### 10% Bleach and Liquid Culture Waste Labels

 ](/resource/10-bleach-and-liquid-culture-waste-labels)Printable labels for biological liquid culture waste disinfected with 10% bleach



 

 

   [### Biosafety Manual

 ](/resource/biosafety-manual)Safety guidance, policies, and procedures for work with biological materials



 

 

   [### Sharps Disposal

 ](/resource/sharps-disposal)Manage and dispose of sharps



 

 

   [### Sink Disposal and Wastewater Discharge Poster

 ](/resource/sink-disposal-and-wastewater-discharge-poster)Printable poster about wastewater discharge and sink disposal requirements



 

 

   [### Solid Biological and Pathological Waste

 ](/resource/solid-biological-and-pathological-waste)Collect and dispose of solid biological and pathological waste



 

 

  

 

 

 

 

##  EHS support 

Contact <biosafety@harvard.edu> or your [Biosafety Officer (BSO)](/resource/ehs-safety-officers "EHS Safety Officers") for more information about managing and disposing of biological waste, including:

- Aspiration and vacuum flask set-up.
- Biological waste decontamination.



 

 

 See also:- [ Biosafety ](/topic-areas/biosafety)
- [ Waste Management and Disposal ](/topic-areas/waste-management-and-disposal)
- [ Biological Waste ](/topic-areas/biological-waste)
- [ All Students, Faculty, and Staff ](/audience/all-students-faculty-and-staff)