{"id":3435,"date":"2025-12-30T13:30:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T19:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/frequently-asked-questions\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T10:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T15:53:08","slug":"frequently-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/frequently-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"uwm-l-row\">\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col\">\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion\" data-accordion-prefix-classes=\"uwm\" data-accordion-cool-selectors=\"1\"><button class=\"uwm-p-accordion--toggle-button size-p-md\">Expand All<\/button>\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">What if my biohazardous waste contains chemical hazards?<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Chemical hazards always supersede biological hazards. Do&nbsp;not&nbsp;autoclave biohazardous waste that is mixed with chemical hazards.&nbsp;Contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/environmental-protection\/contact\/\">UWM Environmental Protection Program<\/a>&nbsp;to discuss your options for disposal.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">How do I dispose of medical sharps, like needles, blades, or lancets?<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Medical sharps waste requires special handling because it must be both decontaminated&nbsp;<em>and&nbsp;<\/em>rendered broken and unable to be reused. This is done by an external contractor via incineration, grinding, and\/or shredding. All sharps waste generated at UWM is handled by Madison Environmental Resourcing, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always collect sharps in an approved sharps container. When the container is no more than 3\/4 full, contact the UWM Environmental Protection Program for pickup of the sharps container. UWM Environmental Protection personnel will coordinate with Madison Environmental Resourcing, Inc, for final pickup and disposal of the waste.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\">How do I dispose of other sharps, like contaminated broken glass, contaminated rigid broken plastic, or contaminated slides &amp; cover slips?<\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Whenever possible, dispose of these items as medical sharps to reduce injury that can result from increased handling of these materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If disposal in a sharps container for pickup is not possible, use the following precautions to decontaminate and dispose of these items in a manner that prevents harm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Collect the items in a hard-sided container. Ensure that the container used for collection can also be used for decontamination such that materials do not need to be handled prior to decontaminating. For example, use an autoclave-safe container if materials will be decontaminated by autoclaving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decontaminate the materials by autoclaving or by appropriate use of a chemical disinfectant. Autoclaving is preferred.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After materials have been decontaminated, close the container and label as \u201cbroken glass and plastic\u201d before disposal in the general waste stream.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\"><strong>What types of biological lab waste can I throw in the general trash?<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Waste generated in biological laboratories that has not been contaminated with or come into contact with any biohazardous materials may be disposed of in the general trash. However, always remember to consider other hazards associated with your waste that may require special disposal, such as chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or broken glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, items that are not considered to be infectious waste may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Items soiled but not saturated with human blood or body fluids<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Body fluids that are generally not considered to be infectious, such as urine, mucus, sweat, saliva, or tears<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tissue, blood, body fluids, or cultures from animals that are not known to be carrying or infected with a zoonotic infectious agent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Containers, packages, waste glass, lab equipment, and other materials that have had no contact with blood, body fluids, clinical cultures, or infectious agents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Formerly infectious waste after it has been properly treated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\"><strong>Where should I dispose of the trash from my laboratory after it is decontaminated?<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Labs are responsible for moving the waste from their labs to the appropriate dumpsters outside of their buildings. Never dispose of laboratory waste in hallway trash cans. Safely transport your waste using a cart or wheeled garbage can to the nearest dumpster for disposal on a regular basis to avoid waste buildup that can lead to lab contamination or nuisance odors.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--header\"><strong>What if I spill my biohazardous materials?<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel\"><div class=\"uwm-p-accordion--panel-inner uwm-u-clear\">\n<p>Report all biohazardous material spills using the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/biological-incident-report\/\">Biosafety Initial Report Form<\/a>. Prompt reporting to state or federal agencies may be required depending on the nature of the spill, so ensure that a report is submitted as soon as possible and within 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All labs that work with biohazardous materials must maintain standard procedures for spill cleanup.&nbsp;These procedures should be visibly posted inside the lab.&nbsp;The UWM Institutional Biosafety Committee has created and approved general biohazardous spill guidelines for UWM. Your lab may use these guidelines and\/or alter them as needed based on your specific materials and procedures.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uwm-l-col uwm-l-col--4 uwm-l-offset--1\"><div class=\"content_block\" id=\"custom_post_widget-4057\"><nav aria-label=\"Sidebar\" class=\"uwm-p-navigation-list uwm-p-navigation-list--gold-border \"><div class=\"uwm-p-navigation-list--title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/\">Safety &amp; Health<\/a><\/div><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/art-studio-theater-safety\/\">Art Studio &amp; Theater Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/\">Biosafety<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/biological-materials\/\">Biological Materials<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/shipping-transport\/\">Shipping &amp; 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Education<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"current\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/frequently-asked-questions\/\"><span aria-current=\"page\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/contact\/\">Contact<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/chemical-safety\/\">Chemical Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/emergency-preparedness\/\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/laboratory-safety\/\">Laboratory Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/occupational-health\/\">Occupational Health<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/occupational-safety\/\">Occupational Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/radiation-safety\/\">Radiation Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/student-safety\/\">Student Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/supervisor-safety\/\">Supervisor Safety<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/policies-procedures\/\">Guidelines &amp; Procedures<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/forms\/\">Forms<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":578,"featured_media":0,"parent":2675,"menu_order":11,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[1282,1523,1524]},"class_list":["post-3435","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Safety &amp; Assurances<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/frequently-asked-questions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Frequently Asked Questions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/safety-assurances\/programs\/safety-health\/biosafety\/frequently-asked-questions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Safety &amp; 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