SCTR Infectious Waste

Definitions:
Infectious waste: Potentially infectious waste includes all waste items that are contaminated with or suspected of being contaminated with blood, blood products, and other body fluids, as well as research materials that may cause an infection.  This waste stream may contain pathogens with sufficient virulence and quantity so that exposure of a susceptible host to the waste could result in an infectious disease.
Stericycle, Inc.: Vendor responsible for disposal of Penn's biohazardous/infectious waste.
Sharps: Any material that has the potential to puncture through a waste bag (needles, scalpels, razor blades, broken glass, plastic ware, syringes, serological pipettes, pipette tips, or medical instruments).
Recyclable Sharps Container: Red 17-gallon sharps containers with black lids that are emptied and replaced by Curtis Bay, Inc.
Curtis Bay, Inc.: Vendor responsible for Penn’s biohazardous/infectious sharps container recycling program.

Procedure:

  1. All infectious waste, including red bag waste and non-recyclable sharps containers, must be properly packaged and taken to the autoclave room on your floor before being picked up by the PSOM SPO Infectious Waste Staff.
  2. PSOM SPO Infectious Waste Staff will remove the autoclaved infectious waste from each floor.  Stericycle will pick up and incinerate all autoclaved infectious waste from the PSOM.
  3. Curtis Bay will be responsible for emptying and replacing recyclable sharps containers for each lab.  Contact Willie Williams at (215) 898-0217 to discuss placement and quantity of containers in your lab.
  4. Smaller sharps containers may be purchased by the lab group and disposed of through the infectious waste stream.

More Information:

Recyclable Sharps Container Program Fact Sheet

Frequently asked questions about infectious waste disposal

Learn more about EHRS

General Information

Curtis Bay will be responsible for emptying and replacing sharps containers at each lab.

Glassware buckets will be supplied by SPO at no cost to the lab.  Housekeeping will be responsible for emptying glassware buckets. 

All non-sharps infectious waste must be taken to the autoclave room and the infectious waste must be autoclaved before being picked-up by Infectious Waste Staff.

Return to Main SCTR Page
Previous: SCTR Mail Room
Next: SCTR Alcohol Service Center

top_button
© The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania || Site best viewed in supported browser. || Site Design: PMACS Web Team