Select the headings.

Clinical waste

Clinical waste must be placed in containers that are yellow with a black biohazard symbol. Some forms of clinical waste can be placed in bags. These are not regular garbage bags, but sturdy bags designed to safely contain clinical waste.

Sharps must be placed in special sharps containers made of rigid plastic that are puncture resistant. These containers have a one-way neck. This means it is unlikely that the contents will spill from the container. The sharps container should be yellow and be labelled with the biohazard symbol and the word ‘Sharps’. Some sharps containers are freestanding, some can be fixed in place and some are portable.

Cytotoxic and radioactive waste

Cytotoxic waste must be placed in a purple bag with a white telophase symbol (telophase is a biological term referring to a stage in cell division). Any materials associated with chemotherapy, including gloves, gowns and medications, must be placed in a cytotoxic waste bag.

Sharps that have been used in the provision of chemotherapy should be placed in a purple rather than yellow sharps container. They should not be mixed up with other cytotoxic waste.

Radioactive waste should be placed in red bags or containers. These containers must be labelled with a black radioactive symbol.