Biological Waste Treatment

Biological waste, biohazardous wastes, and biowaste all refer to the same type of waste. What is considered biowaste? Per the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), such waste is a category of Special Waste, and includes the following: 

• animal waste (carcasses, body parts/fluids and bedding of animals intentionally exposed to potential pathogens)
• human and non-human primate blood/body parts/cultures
• cell cultures
• microbiological waste (cultures, stocks, specimens, transfer devices, etc.)
• pathological waste
• sharps as these terms are defined in 25 TAC §1.132
• any enriched sample/specimen, and 
• samples/specimens that are reasonably considered to contain a pathogen, have been purposefully exposed to a pathogen, or have tested positive for a pathogen.

These wastes require special treatment and handling by trained people. Biological waste must not be mixed with items that are not classified as biowaste, such as regular municipal trash items. Ensuring proper segregation of biowaste materials from other waste streams contributes to a safe work environment, decreases the work load for work area personnel (i.e., the waste generators) and decreases the overall cost to the university for waste treatment and disposal.

Accumulation & Treatment

The TCEQ requires that all biowaste treatment must be logged and that you - the generator - must maintain these records for three years. Treatment logs that meet state requirements, as well as treatments procedures and their associated posters are available on the Lab Forms, Tools & SOPs webpage. EHS is happy to print and laminate posters and send them to you in campus mail. Just email ehs.lab.safety@ttu.edu to place your request.

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