Across countries, regulations can vary in terms of the proper disposal of contaminated waste. It’s best practice to align how to dispose of contaminated waste with the guidance of your respective regulatory body.

Below is a guide on how to dispose of hazardous waste in the workplace in 3 essentials steps. These steps are likely similar in different parts of the world, as they represent core practices.

Step 1: Identify the Contaminated Waste

Contaminated waste is waste that has been contaminated by a hazardous substance, whose exposure can cause harm to the health and safety of the worker or the community. Identifying contaminated waste involves defining both the contaminants and the waste they can produce.
While contaminated waste and hazardous waste are often used interchangeably, it’s important to distinguish that their sources are different.

There are materials that, from the source or supply, are already hazardous, such as sharp tools like needles, hand tools used for soldering, glass tools, and cartridges. These items are marked hazardous from the beginning because of their inherent risk; however, they can become more dangerous with added contamination.

For example, a sharp tool such as a needle is dangerous because it can cause cuts or punctures, but it can become contaminated with blood, chemicals, and other human or animal fluids that can cause the transmission of diseases, making it more critical. Identifying these items from hazardous waste to contaminated waste is the first step to proper disposal.

Step 2: Apply the “cradle-to-grave” principle in waste disposal

Regulatory authorities like EPA enforces the framework of “Cradle-to-Grave” Hazardous Waste Management Program, this emphasizes to industry producing waste to take strong and efficient actions to manage waste from “cradle” meaning from the time it is created, while it is transported, treated, and stored, and until “grave” when it is disposed. Terminology might be different in other countries or state, but the principle is the same and applicable.

There are standard waste containers, bins, and labels used to classify hazards, applicable from storage to disposal. The rules can vary by country or even by region, so make sure your team is staying updated. It’s important to not only check the visual classification of the disposal containers but also the font size and quality, to ensure they are leak-proof and that there is no chance of mixing them with other waste types.

Part of the segregation efforts of your company or facility also involves participating in recycling to balance resource conservation with the protection of human health, animal welfare, and the environment. The participation of industrial companies in this effort means ensuring that waste is stored, segregated, and disposed of correctly.

Step 3: Follow the right transport, treatment and disposal method

Following the right transport requirements means using licensed hazardous waste transporters or carriers. These transporters are licensed by a country or regions environmental agency, with valid registration certificates. Ensure to check how well they do their fleet maintenance through this article Fleet Maintenance Meaning and certification, so you won’t get caught with additional damage from transport issues.

Treatment and disposal methods vary, classified according to waste type and aligned with international best practices for environmental care. Each country has preferred methods—for example, the EU favors recovery over landfill, and Australia promotes on-site treatment as much as possible. Some of the most common methods are incineration, secure landfilling, autoclaving, chemical disinfection, radiation treatment, and deep well injection. We covered some of the definitions here.

When all these essential steps are done, you can build a Hazardous Material Safety Plan or a Hazardous Waste Management Plan to solidify your efforts of intentional and compliant proper waste disposal.