[Histonet] Tissue disposal

[Dieringer, Connie J]

Eileen,

I now work at a smaller facility, but when I worked for a large hospital, we did the same as what you described.  We would strain off the formalin and then dispose of the tissue in large biohazard bags and a waste company would come and pick it up.

Connie Dieringer, HTL(ASCP) 
Chief Histologist


Department of Diagnostic & Biomedical Science | Oral Pathology Histology Laboratory 
7500 Cambridge Street | Suite 6110 | Houston,TX  77054
713-486-4413 tel | 713-486-0415 fax
utoralpathology at uth.tmc.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: Eileen Akemi Allison <akemiat3377 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2020 6:25 AM
To: Histonet <Histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Cc: MirnaIbarra at umcelpaso.org
Subject: [Histonet] Tissue disposal

Good morning Histopeeps! After reviewing our Policy Procedure Manual, our manager is questioning the bags we are using for disposing our tissues after diagnosis is complete.  We are separating the tissue from the formalin by straining the excess formalin and neutralizing it.  We then put the tissue into “Large Biohazard Bags” and the EVS staff picks it up and disposes it.  My manager is wondering if the “Biohazard Bags" are appropriate.  Should the bags state “Tissue” on the them?  Are there any special disposal bags available?  

While working for a GI Lab in Monterey, CA we put all our bottle and tissue in "Biohazard Bags" and a Hazardous Waste company picked up the waste products from our endoscopy department along with ours.  Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,
Akemi Allison, BS, HT/HTL