UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

INSTRUCTOR GUIDE
MODULE 9: CLASSIFICATION OF HEALTHCARE WASTE
MODULE 10: SEGREGATION OF HEALTHCARE WASTE

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

MODULE 9: CLASSIFICATION OF HEALTHCARE WASTE

Estimated Time • Lecture: 45 minutes

• Activity: 2 hours * to be completed after Module 9 and Module 10
Module Overview • Describe the general classifications of healthcare waste
• Present examples of each classification
Learning Objectives • List the major classifications and typical characteristics of healthcare waste
• Recognize the waste classifications that pose the highest risk
• Apply basic principles to categorize waste items into their proper classifications
Target Audience • HCWM Coordinators
• Healthcare Waste Workers (Note: Presentation slides should be adjusted to fit the
needs of cleaners, waste workers and other auxiliary staff.)
• Healthcare professionals
Instructor Preparation • Make notes pages of PowerPoint slides to hand out to class
• Read Chapter 2 in Blue Book
• Gather country-specific information to fill in appropriate slides on classification
• Make copies of any additional documents/readings that may be handed out to class,
such as those included in the References
• Prepare any additional notes to be discussed during the presentation
• Prepare any additional discussion points or review questions
Materials Needed • Projector
• Student handouts: slides, exercise, homework
• Flip chart and marker pens and/or board and chalk
• Any materials on country or local laws related to classification of healthcare wastes.
Student Preparation • Blue Book Chapter 2
• Think about how healthcare wastes are classified in your facility

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste
Review Questions (most of
these questions relate to
waste segregation, which is
the related topic of the next
module)
• How does your facility classify healthcare wastes? What are some examples of
sharps waste that pose a major risk in your own facility, or that you would expect to
pose problems in healthcare facilities, in general? What about chemical wastes?
Pharmaceutical wastes? Radioactive wastes?
• What are some facility-specific classification and segregation guidelines? Does your
facility use color-coding?
• Does your facility have sufficient resources to handle waste properly and
effectively? How can your facility improvise if resources are lacking?
• Is the segregation of wastes monitored in your facility? If not, is there any
technique that exists for keeping track of waste segregation?
• What works within your facility to improve segregation? What doesn’t work?
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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

PRESENTATION

Slide Number/Title Teacher’s Notes

Slide 1: Title Slide
Slide 2: Module Overview Introduce the outline and major points of the presentation

Slide 3: Learning Objectives Describe what participants will learn at the end of this module.

Slide 4: Steps in Healthcare This is the first of a series of modules about specific steps in healthcare waste management.
Waste Management This module focuses on classification.

Slide 5: General Principles When properly segregated, the typical breakdown of HCW is about 85% or more of general waste
(similar in risk to domestic waste), while the remaining 15% is usually hazardous waste. The
breakdown may vary by country/region/facility.

Slide 6: General Principles Sharps wastes pose the highest risk of disease transmission of all waste categories.

Slide 7: Why Segregate Describe some major points that answer the question: Why segregate HCW? Ask class for
Healthcare Waste? some ideas.

Note: You may want to skip this slide until the next module about waste segregation

Slide 8: General Principles HCW classifications are based on: national regulations or international guidelines

Types of risk associated with waste:

-infectious disease transmission
-physical injury
-chemical exposure

Slide 9: General Principles Classifications are useful for deciding:

-treatment approaches
-waste minimization options

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

Slide 10: Country-specific Waste Insert information about country-specific classifications under the existing laws and
Classifications regulations. You may add more slides if needed.

Slide 11: Waste Classifications Go through table of WHO waste classifications

Slide 12: Infectious Wastes Infectious wastes are healthcare wastes that are suspected to containing pathogenic
organisms in quantities sufficient to cause diseases to an exposed host.

Slide 13: Subcategories of

Infectious Wastes
Slide 14: Waste Contaminated Give some examples of waste contaminated with blood or body fluids
with Blood/Body Fluids
Slide 15: Cultures and Stocks Provide some examples of cultures and stocks

Slide 16: Isolation Ward Waste

Slide 17: Sharps Waste Sharps waste includes any items that could cause cuts or puncture wounds, whether
infected or not

Slide 18: Review of Infectious Refer to table

Wastes
Slide 19: Chemical Wastes Chemical wastes are discarded solid, liquid, and gaseous chemicals from diagnostic and
experimental work and from cleaning and disinfection

Slide 20: Chemical Wastes Hazardous chemical wastes are chemicals with at least of the following properties:
-Toxic
-Corrosive
-Flammable
-Reactive
-Oxidizing

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

Slide 21: Chemical Wastes Provide some examples of hazardous and non-hazardous chemical wastes.

Slide 22: Pharmaceutical Wastes

Slide 23: Radioactive Wastes Solid, liquid and gaseous materials contaminated with radionuclides; this category of waste
may not exist in primary healthcare facilities that do not deal with radiation therapy

Slide 24: Non-hazardous General Non-hazardous general wastes are those that have not been in contact with infectious
Waste agents, hazardous chemicals, or radioactive substances, and that does not pose a sharps
hazard.

Slide 25: Examples of Non- Give some examples of non-hazardous general wastes. The majority includes paper,
Hazardous General Wastes plastics, and cardboard.

Slide 26: General Wastes

Slide 27: Typical Waste Give some ballpark figures statistics for typical waste generation rates. These estimates
Characteristics vary by country, region, and facility type.

Slide 28: Discussion Go through discussion questions with class.

Note: Please wait to complete modules 9 and 10 before going over the discussion
questions.
What is recyclable?
Common accidents?

References (in order as they Blue Book Chapter 2

appear in slides)

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

MODULE 10: SEGREGATION OF HEALTHCARE WASTE

Estimated Time (*subject to • Lecture: 1 hour and 15 minutes

change) • Activity: 2 hours * to be completed after Module 9 and Module 10. You may choose
one or all of the activities based on how much time you have.
Module Overview • Review waste classifications
• Describe why waste segregation is important
• Describe color-coding and waste containers
• Demonstrate segregation of healthcare waste
Learning Objectives • Explain why segregation is important
• Demonstrate segregation of healthcare waste
• Discuss acceptable options for commercial color-coded bags and sharps containers
• Create informational posters and signs specific to waste segregation
Target Audience • HCWM Coordinators
• Healthcare Waste Workers
• Healthcare professionals
Instructor Preparation • Make notes pages of PowerPoint slides to hand out to class
• Make copies of class exercises for distribution after PowerPoint presentation
• Read Chapter 7 in Blue Book
• Gather country-specific information to fill in appropriate (segregation, posters
about segregation) and find additional photos showing problems with segregation.
• Make copies of any additional documents/readings that may be handed out to class,
such as those included in the References
• Prepare any additional notes to be discussed during the presentation
• Prepare any additional discussion points or review questions
Materials Needed • Projector
• Student handouts: slides, exercise, homework
• Flip chart and marker pens and/or board and chalk
• Any materials on country or local laws related to segregation of healthcare wastes.

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste
Student Preparation
Review Questions (same set of
questions included in Module
9, as segregation is related to
classification)
• Blue Book Chapter 7
• Think about how healthcare wastes are segregated in your facility
• How does your facility classify healthcare wastes? What are some examples of
sharps waste that pose a major risk in your own facility, or that you would expect to
pose problems in healthcare facilities, in general? What about chemical wastes?
Pharmaceutical wastes? Radioactive wastes?
• What are some facility-specific classification and segregation guidelines? Does your
facility use color-coding?
• Does your facility have sufficient resources to handle waste properly and
effectively? How can your facility improvise if resources are lacking?
• Is the segregation of wastes monitored in your facility? If not, is there any
technique that exists for keeping track of waste segregation?
• What works within your facility to improve segregation? What doesn’t work?
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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

PRESENTATION

Slide Number/Title Teacher’s Notes

Slide 1: Title Slide
Slide 2: Module Overview Introduce the outline and major points of the presentation

Slide 3: Learning Objectives
Slide 4: Steps in Healthcare
Waste Management
Slide 5: General Principles
Describe what participants will learn at the end of this module.
This module focuses on segregation.
When properly segregated, the typical breakdown of HCW is about 85% or more of general waste
(similar in risk to domestic waste), while the remaining 15% is usually hazardous waste. The
breakdown may vary by country/region/facility.

Slide 6: Why Segregate Describe some major points that answer the question: Why segregate HCW? Ask class for
Healthcare Waste? some ideas.

Slide 7: Country-specific Waste Add your own country/region/facility segregation requirements

Segregation Requirements
Slide 8: Review of Waste Review waste classification with WHO slide from previous presentation
Classifications
Slide 9: Waste Segregation

Slide 10: WHO-Recommended Use the given table to describe the WHO-recommended segregation scheme
Segregation Scheme
Slide 11: Example of a More
Complex Segregation Scheme
Slide 12: Minimum Level of
Segregation Recommended by
WHO
Slide 13: Specifications and Ask participants what they do in their own facility?
Alternatives for Low-Resource
Settings

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste
Slide 14: Container Photos
Slide 15: Containers for Waste
Collection
Slide 16: Color Coding for Bags
and Containers
Slide 17: Bags for Waste
Collection (use this slide if red is
used for infectious waste)
Some alternatives for sharps containers
Waste containers:
• Come in many shapes and sizes. In all cases, they should be sturdy and leak-proof,
and (except for sharps containers) lined with a sturdy plastic bag.
• Preferably chlorine-free.
• Should have well-fitting lids, either removable by hand or a foot pedal.
Example of color coding:
Yellow Bin - Waste for Incineration/ Secured Landfill Disposal
Human anatomical waste, microbiological, pathological, cytotoxic and discarded medicines
Red Bin - Waste for Non-incineration Treatment Disposal
Infected plastics, syringes, tubings, catheter, gloves, blood bags, urine bags, cotton
dressings, etc.
White Bin - Waste Requiring no Treatment
Paper, packaging material, cardboard, general waste, etc.
Green Bin - Waste Requiring no Treatment
Vegetables, fruit peels, leftover food, leaves and garden wastes, etc.
Blue Bin - All sharps in puncture-proof containers
Discuss acceptable options for commercial color-coded bags and sharps containers.
For example,
Noninfectious - black
Infectious - yellow
Highly infectious - red
Sharps waste - yellow safety boxes
-Bins should have the same colored bags/liners, preferably be 70 µm in thickness.
-Bags and containers for infectious waste should be marked with the international
infectious substance symbol
-The color of containers/plastic bags used for collection of segregated biomedical waste
should be prominent and easily identifiable.
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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste
Slide 18: Bags for Waste
Collection (use this slide if
yellow is used for infectious
waste)
Slide 19: Safety Boxes
Slide 20: Class Discussion: What
Goes Where?
Slide 21: Class Discussion: What
Goes Where?
Slide 22: Class Discussion: What
goes where?
Slide 23: Where Do You Place
Bins?
-Bins should have the same colored bags/liners, preferably be 70 µm in thickness.
-Bags and containers for infectious waste should be marked with the international
infectious substance symbol
-The color of containers/plastic bags used for collection of segregated biomedical waste
should be prominent and easily identifiable.
• Sharps should all be collected together, regardless of whether or not they are
contaminated.
• Containers should be puncture-proof (usually made of metal or high-density plastic)
and fitted with covers. They should be rigid and impermeable so that they safely
retain not only the sharps, but also any residual liquids from syringes.
• To discourage abuse, containers should be tamper-proof (difficult to open or break)
and needles and syringes should be rendered unusable.
• Where plastic or metal containers are unavailable or too costly, containers made of
dense cardboard are recommended (WHO, 1997); these fold for ease of transport
and may be supplied with a plastic lining.
Generate discussion with class participants
Non-hazardous general wastes are those that have not been in contact with infectious
agents, hazardous chemicals, or radioactive substances, and that does not pose a sharps
hazard. Is the child sick because of a bone fracture or a brain concussion, or due to an
infection? If the child has a fracture, will the lollipop or spoon be contagious? If the child
has an infection, how is the infectious agent transmitted – through contact with infected
skin, contact with infected stool, contact with mucous membranes, contact with wound
drainage, exposure to respiratory secretions, exposure to infected droplets from coughing
or sneezing, exposure to pathogenic airborne particles, etc.? How can transmission-based
precautions be used to determine where the waste item goes?
Go through a list of where bins should be properly placed for specific scenarios
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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

Slide 24: Where Do You Place

Bins?
Slide 25: Which Bins Would You Get class involved in the next bunch of slides
Place In…?
For example: Think about wastes as sharps, (depending on system, may also have
infectious and sharps), infectious, recyclable, non –recyclable, chemical,
sharps, infectious, pathological, general, pharmaceutical, possibly infectious depending on
procedures performed.

Slide 26: Which Bins Would You

Place In…?
Slide 27: Problems of Ask class what is wrong with the picture.
Segregation
Photo shows sterile packaging in infectious (red) bag. It also includes sharps which should
be in sharps containers.

Slide 28: Problems of Photo shows sharps in infectious (yellow) bag. Sharps should be in sharps containers.
Segregation
Slide 29: What is Wrong With Black bag wrongly used for general waste (drinking cups, food scraps, discarded food
This Picture? packaging, paper, empty blister pack, empty food wrapper) and for sharps waste
(syringes).

Slide 30: What is Wrong With Black bag wrongly used for general waste (empty water bottle, packaging, discarded cloth)
This Picture? and also for infectious waste (bloody bandages, contaminated gloves).

Slide 31: What is Wrong With Black bag wrongly used for infectious waste (bloody bandages), sharps waste (syringes,
This Picture? presumably the needle from the intravenous (IV) set), and general waste (empty sterile
solution bottles, empty IV tubing without visible blood, food waste such as banana and
lemon peels, empty food containers, sterile packaging).

Slide 32: What is Wrong With General waste (sterile packaging) discarded in the infectious waste bag. Sharps discarded
This Picture? in the infectious waste bag.

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Slide 33: What is Wrong With Clean packaging was discarded in an infectious waste bag.
This Picture?
Slide 34: Problem of Overfilling Red bag is overfilled. It is placed inside a black bag (probably because of leaks). Leaking
and Mixing Colors infectious waste bags should be put in bags with the infectious waste color.

Slide 35: What is Wrong With You may add pictures with examples from your country or the facility.
This Picture?
Slide 36: Problems of Batteries should not be discarded as regular waste.
Segregation
Ask class: What would you do with a broken thermometer?

Slide 37: Dealing With Talk about what to do (and what not to do) if errors are made during segregation.
Segregation Errors
Is there monitoring?

Slide 38: Sample of an Example is from Tanzania

Educational Segregation Poster
Slide 39: Sample of an The poster is from the UNDP GEF Project in Senegal
Educational Segregation Poster
Slide 40: Sample of an The poster is from a hospital in Brazil
Educational Segregation Poster
Slide 41: Sample of an Poster is from SS Medical Systems in India
Educational Segregation Poster
Slide 42: Samples of Educational Poster from Indonesia (Source: ETLog Health, GmbH; published in the WHO Blue Book)
Segregation Posters
Slide 43: Example of a Poster from the UNDP GEF Project in Senegal
Segregation Poster for Infectious
Waste Placed Above a Yellow
Container
Slide 44: Example of Segregation From the UNDP GEF Project in the Philippines
Posters Placed Above
Corresponding Bins for

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

Infectious, General and

Recyclable Wastes
Slide 45: Example of Segregation From a low-resource hospital in India
Posters Placed Above
Corresponding Bins for
Infectious, General and
Recyclable Wastes
Slide 46: Example of Segregation From a hospital in Brazil
Bins for Regular Waste
Slide 47: (Additional Slide for You may include posters from your own country or facility here and in any additional
Country-Specific Segregation slides needed
Posters)
Slide 48: Discussion Go through discussion questions with class. Combine discussion for modules 9 and 10.

References (in order as they Blue Book Chapter 7

appear in slides)

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

ACTIVITY: MODULE 9 AND 10: EXERCISES

Note: You should wait until after Module 9 and Module 10 are presented to have participants do exercise.

The purpose of this activity is to educate participants about classification and segregation of wastes (how to select the right
containers)

Instructor: Break class into groups of three or more, and distribute exercise at beginning of class. You may group participants
by facility, department, or job type. Participants will complete the activity in groups and then present their answers.
Instructor should record participant/group responses on a wipe board, flip chart, or transparency, categorize their responses.
In the de-brief following the presentation, you will go over the activity once again.

MODULE 9 AND 10, EXERCISE 1: CLASSIFICATION MATRIX (30 MINUTES)

Instruct should ask participants how they would classify the following items and record responses by group.

o Sharps
o Infectious
o Pathological
o Pharmaceutical
o Chemical
o Radioactive
o General (non-hazardous)

# Item Sharp Infect Patho Pharm Chem Radio General

1 Bandage saturated with blood
2 Empty IV bag
3 IV bag containing fluid blood
4 Broken thermometer
5 Unused (clean) hypodermic syringe

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

6 Soiled disposable diaper

7 Dirty glove
8 Cotton swab with little dried blood
9 Clean broken glassware
10 Used disinfectant solution
11 Empty juice bottle used by patient
12 Cotton swab with little alcohol (ethanol)
13 Expired antibiotics
14 Eye wash
15 Old fluorescent lamp

Answer Key:

1 – infectious

2 – depends on whether there is a needle attached; the needle would be sharps waste, empty IV bag would be general waste

3 – with needle – sharps; without needle – infectious

4 - chemical

5 – sharps

6 – general waste unless the diaper comes from an infected patient in an isolation ward

7 – if dirt is due to blood or body fluids – infectious, otherwise general

8 – in countries where there is good waste handling and sanitary landfills – general waste, otherwise infectious waste

9 – sharps

10 – chemical or general waste depending on the type of disinfectant and the country’s laws and regulations

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UNDP GEF Project on Global Healthcare Waste

11 – general, unless patient in is isolation ward with potential for contact transmission

12 – general waste

13 – pharmaceutical

14 – general, possibly pharmaceutical depending on the type of solution and the country’s laws and regulations

15 – chemical

MODULE 9 AND 10 EXERCISE 2: SEGREGATION ACTIVITIES (45 MINUTES)

1. Each group will be given surrogate waste items (such as sharps, anatomical wastes, paper, gloves, needles, diapers,
bottles, etc) and color-coded containers (based on what is available by country laws). Note: Do not use real infectious
waste items for this exercise! For example, for contaminated bandages, use new bandages smeared with red paint or
tomato sauce. For contaminated gloves, use new gloves covered with tomato sauce or mineral oil to represent body
fluids. For syringes, use unused syringes. For chemical waste, use water or juice in a container with a fake chemical
label. For anatomical waste, use uncooked meat or other suitable surrogate. Select waste items that the participants
would normally deal with in their specific job functions. The participants should be told that these are surrogate items
(fake replacements to represent waste items) but the participants should use the correct PPE and place the surrogate
items in containers that are appropriate as if those items are real.

2. Each person takes a turn taking a waste item and placing it in the proper container.

3. With each turn, the group checks if everyone agrees with the placement.

4. If not, each participant explains why he or she disagrees with the placement until consensus is reached.

5. If no consensus is reached, the group brings the waste item to the attention of the whole class.

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6. Responses will be recorded in the following table.

[Note to instructor: replace the color codes and containers below with the required color codes and containers
used in the country.]

Waste type Yellow Red bins Blue Bins Puncture Proof General Waste
bins Container

MODULE 9 AND 10 EXERCISE 3: SEGREGATION POSTERS (45 MINUTES)

The purpose of this activity is for the participants to learn to design simple but effective posters related to segregation.
Instructor may ask each group to:
• Select an area of the facility
• Identify the hazards, and/or a particular group of employees they want to educate. (For example, do you want to create
a poster or sign in your local language to help the waste handlers in the wards)
• Create an informational posters, or signage, specific to waste segregation.
• Each group presents their hand-drawn poster to the class for discussion.

De-brief

Instructor will discuss the correct responses after each activity.

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