In practice it is very difficult to identify and segregate every article of medical waste form solid waste stream. Therefore, the medical waste is categorized into groups, which are amenable to specific treatments/disposal methods. As per Bio-medical waste (management and handling) rules, 1998, the bio-medical waste has been grouped into following categories:
Human tissues, organs, body parts and fetus below the viability period (as per the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971, amended from time to time).
Experimental animal carcasses, body parts, organs, tissues, including the waste generated from animals used in experiments or testing in veterinary hospitals or colleges or animal houses
Items contaminated with blood, body flu ids like dressings, plaster casts, cotton swabs and bags containing residual or discarded blood and blood components.
Pharmaceutical waste like antibiotics, cytotoxic drugs including all items contaminated with cytotoxic drugs along with glass or plastic ampoules, vials etc.
Chemicals used in production of biological and used or discarded disinfectants.
Liquid waste generated due to use of chemicals in production of biological and used or discarded disinfectants, Silver X-ray film developing liquid, discarded Formalin, infected secretions, aspirated body fluids, liquid from laboratories and floor washings, cleaning, house-keeping and disinfecting activities etc.
Broken or discarded and contaminated glass including medicine vials and ampoules except those contaminated with cytotoxic wastes.
Needles, syringes with fixed needles, needles from needle tip cutter or burner,scalpels, blades, or any other contaminated sharp object that may cause puncture and cuts. This includes both used,discarded and contaminated metal sharps.
Waste generated from disposable items such as I.V. Set, I.V. bottles, intravenous tubes and sets, catheters,tubing, urine bags, syringes (without needle and fixed needle syringes) and vaccutainers with their needles cut and gloves.