About EBSA20 - Course E - Biological waste management

Instructors: Toon De Kesel and Joerg Schibel

Short description of the course:

Biological waste originates from human or animal health care, medical and biotech research, laboratories, greenhouses and other facilities. Careful disposal of this type of waste is an integral component of the organization’s biorisk management. There is a wide variety of chemical, biological, and radioactive waste materials generated in typical e.g. microbiology, clinical and biotechnology laboratories. Infectious materials and sharps which are not properly managed pose serious health risks to each person who encounters them, whether in the laboratory itself or at some point during the process of removal and transport. Proper handling, packaging, and labeling are important to protect lab workers and assure that the waste will not become a community hazard en route to ultimate disposal. Some wastes associated with biological materials must be disposed of in special ways because they may have been contaminated with infectious organisms or genetically modified agents.

Major topics

• recommend appropriate biological waste handling and disposal measures / routings in accordance with the current legislative requirements;
• raise awareness of hazards that may be associated with inappropriate management of biological waste;
• share the practical knowledge and technology of chemical and physical treatment of biological hazardous waste;
• integrate the management of these issues into an existing biorisk program as part of a biorisk management system.

CWA 16335:2011 Biosafety professional competence reference

The topic refers to competence 7.2.14 and training specifications C.2.1.2.12 Biological waste management. 

The course also draws on the CWA 15793:2011 Laboratory biorisk management, specifically on section 4.4.4.5.3. on waste management and on section 4.4.4.5.2. on inactivation of biological agents and toxins.