QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 

–

STERIBAG – AUTOCLAVABLE DISPOSAL BAG

–

WHAT IS A BIOHAZARD BAG?

A bio bag, also known as a biohazard waste collection bag or a red bag, is simply a red coloured bag used to collect solid biohazardous or infectious waste. These bags are mainly used to separate infectious waste that must be sterilized from regular garbage.

–

WHAT IS A BIOHAZARD SPECIMEN BAG USED FOR?

Biohazard pouches are plastic bags specifically designed for the safe containment, transportation, and disposal of diagnostic and infectious materials.

–

WHY RED COLOUR?

Red biohazard bag. The colour of a biohazardous bag is used to differentiate between waste that is regulated by DHS (red) and waste that is not (clear). The colour of the bag does not indicate the level of biological risk or final treatment.

–

WHAT DOESN’T GO INSIDE RED BIOHAZARD BAG?

Several items should definitely not go into the red biohazard bags, These items include: compressed gas cylinders, sharp objects, chemical waste, radioactive waste, fixatives, preservatives, household, etc.

–

WHAT GOES INSIDE A RED BIOHAZARD?

Red biohazard bags are generally reserved for medical waste, but they can also be used for food processing or biotech waste that contains a potentially infectious agent. These materials include gloves or any other personal protective equipment with blood or other bodily fluids on it — as well as human or animal specimen cultures. Any wastes from other cultures or infectious agents can also be placed in red biohazard bags.

–

HOW TO PACKAGE AND HANDLE RED BAG?

RED biohazard bags should always be handled with care. Ready or in-use bags should be used as liners inside a secondary container, preferably a hard container with a tight-fitting lid. The sides and the lid of a secondary container should be marked “biohazardous waste”.

–

CORRECT DISPOSAL?

Proper personal protective equipment should be worn (lab coat, safety glasses, rubber gloves) when handling biohazard bags. The bag should be moved to the nearest appropriate waste pickup container. If a bag leaks, it should be immediately placed in the secondary pickup container. After handling full bag for disposal, gloves should be removed and hands should be properly washed. Secondary container should regularly be cleaned and disinfected.

–

WHAT ABOUT THE INFECTIOUS LABORATORY WASTE WHICH MAY PUNCTURE A BIOHAZARD BAG?

All infectious laboratory waste which may possibly puncture a Biohazard bag should be placed inside a rigid sharp container.

–

MAY I INTRODUCE SHARP OBJECTs IN A RED BAG?

If you are placing any sharps in the waste bag (needles, syringes, scalpel blades, glass pipettes, slides, etc.), place it in a sharps container first, so the sharps don’t puncture the biohazard waste bag.

–

AT WHICH TEMPERATURE THE RED BAG SHOULD BE AUTOCLAVED?

The two most common sterilization temperatures are 121 and 132°C.

–