An infectious waste is any used material which is: generated in the health care community in the diagnosis, treatment, immunization, or care of human beings; generated in embalming, autopsy, or necropsy; generated in research pertaining to the production of biologicals which have been exposed to human pathogens; generated in research using human pathogens; and which is not excluded in (2) below and which is listed in the categories below:

• Sharps. Any discarded article that may cause puncture or cuts, including but not limited to: needles, syringes, Pasteur pipettes, lancets, broken glass or other materials, and scalpel blades.
• Microbiologicals. Specimens, cultures, and stocks of human pathogenic agents, including but not limited to: waste which has been exposed to human pathogens in the production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines; and discarded culture dishes/devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix microbiological cultures.
• Blood and Blood Products. All waste unabsorbed human blood, or blood products, or absorbed blood when the absorbent is supersaturated, including but not limited to: serum, plasma and other components of blood, and visibly bloody body fluids such as suctioned fluids, excretions, and secretions.
• Pathological Waste. All tissues, organs, limbs, products of conception, and other body parts removed from the whole body, excluding tissues which have been preserved with formaldehyde or other approved preserving agents, and the body fluids which may be infectious due to bloodborne pathogens. These body fluids are: cerebrospinal fluids, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal/cervical secretions.
• Contaminated Animal Waste. Animal carcasses, body parts and bedding when the animal has been intentionally exposed to human pathogens in research or the production of biologicals.
• Isolation Waste. All waste generated from communicable disease isolation of the Biosafety Level 4 agents, highly communicable diseases, pursuant to the `Guidelines for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals’, published by the Centers For Disease Control.
• Other Waste. Any other material designated by written generator policy as infectious, or any other material designated by a generator as infectious by placing the material into a container labeled infectious as outlined in Section J. Any solid waste which is mixed with infectious waste becomes designated as infectious and must be so managed unless expressly excluded in 2 below.
• Infectious Waste Residues Resulting from Discharges.

Sharps. cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals. human blood and blood products. pathological waste. contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, and bedding of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens. and isolation waste pursuant to the “Guidelines for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals”, Centers for Disease Control.

• Storage of infectious waste must be in such a manner and location which affords protection from animals and weather conditions and which minimize exposure to the public.
• Infectious waste must be segregated from other waste at the point of origin and maintained in separate containers until it is treated.
• Infectious waste must be contained in approved disposable or reusable containers that are appropriate for the type and quantity of waste, must withstand handling, transfer, and transportation without impairing the integrity of the container, must be closed tightly and secured, and are compatible with selected storage and treatment processes.
• Sharps must be contained in rigid, puncture-resistant containers which are secured tightly to preclude loss of the contents.
• Containers of infectious waste must be labeled properly, clearly identifiable as infectious waste, and readily distinguishable from other waste.
• Infectious waste must be stored under conditions and for periods of time as provided pursuant to regulations.