We have also been taught that if it isn't dripping it's OK.  We do not do
that either.  The interesting thing is that we get fined for an empty bag
that has a biohazard symbol on it if it is put in the regular trash, but not
so for a bloody towel as long as it is not dripping.

Karla Carson
Regional Pathology Manager
Mercy Health Care Sacramento
Phone 916-453-4494
FAX 916-453-4397
e-mail kcarson@chw.edu <mailto:kcarson@chw.edu> 

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Amos Brooks [mailto:amosbrooks@home.com]
		Sent:	Monday, May 07, 2001 2:04 PM
		To:	Wrona, Erin; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
		Subject:	Re: Disposing of Towels?

		Hi,
		    I worked in a lab that had a policy (which I vehemently
and loudly
		disagreed with) that unless the trash is saturated, to the
point of
		dripping, with blood it is not biohazard. (As if blood is
the only thing
		capable of transmitting disease) And, if the blood soaked
trash came from a
		formalin fixed specimen it is still not biohazard. This
policy actually came
		from the head safety officer of the company.
		    It is possible to have extremely liberal policies about
this, but it
		doesn't make them right. I personally put all the trash that
I used in
		grossing into the biohazard trash. Often I found the
contents dumped into
		the regular trash.
		    OK ... I'm moving on to the next subject, the very
thought of that is
		raising my blood pressure (grumble,grumble)
		Amos Brooks

		Subject: Disposing of Towels?
		> We treat them as bioharzard waste. I agree with Becky - if
you need
		gloves,
		> and it has contacted blood, it should be treated as such.
		>
		> Erin Wrona, BS, HT (ASCP)
		>
		>