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California Integrated Waste Management Board

Medical Waste Posters and Stickers

Should it, or should it not go in the red bag? This 11- x 14-inch poster and 4- x 5-inch sticker make it clear. For safety's sake, staff often put things in the red bag that they do not need to. However putting things in red bags that do not need to be there can significantly increase facility disposal costs, and can have negative environmental health implications.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is pleased to provide colorful posters and stickers to help coordinate and promote your waste reduction efforts. These posters and stickers are available to California businesses, governmental agencies, public service organizations, and educational institutions in limited quantities at no charge. For more information on availability, see Costs and Limitations on Mailing below. For more information, contact bzassist@ciwmb.ca.gov or call (916) 341-6363. Order with the online order form.

Also see Health Care Waste in the Waste Prevention Information Exchange.

Poster
11 X 14 Inches

Know Where to Throw

Text--Know Where to Throw. Biohazard red bag waste: fluid blood, blood-saturated items, bags and IV tubing containing blood products, suction canisters, hemovacs, chest drainage units, hemodialysis products. These don't go in the red bag: garbage, sharps, pathology specimens, hazardous waste, medication. Check with your facility and/or procedure manual for disposal requirements of IV bags.

Please reproduce and distribute these posters! See permission and restriction regarding duplication below.

Download a high resolution PDF of this poster. (18 MB)--This PDF file is designed for professional reproduction of 11- X 14-inch copies. However, it can also be viewed and printed from an ordinary personal computer with a PDF viewer, such as the free Adobe reader. This PDF file does not contain the U.S. EPA logo or the Department of General Services Web address, as does the printed version distributed by CIWMB.

Download a zip file which contains an Adobe Illustrator version of this poster. (19 MB)--You will need Adobe Illustrator or some similar professional graphics program to open this file. CIWMB provides this file for professional reproduction of 11- X 14-inch copies using this poster's native file format. This Adobe Illustrator file does not contain the U.S. EPA logo or the Department of General Services Web address, as does the printed version distributed by CIWMB.

Sticker
4 X 5 Inches

Biohazard Sticker

Text--Biohazard Red Bag Waste: fluid blood, blood saturated items, bags and IV tubing containing blood products, suction canisters, hemovacs, chest drainage units, hemodialysis products.

Please reproduce and distribute these posters! See permission and restriction regarding duplication below.

Download a high resolution PDF of this sticker. (18 MB)--This PDF file is designed for professional reproduction of 4- X 5-inch copies. However, it can also be viewed and printed from an ordinary personal computer with a PDF viewer, such as the free Adobe reader.

Download a zip file which contains an Adobe Illustrator version of this sticker. (19 MB)--You will need Adobe Illustrator or some similar professional graphics program to open this file. CIWMB provides this file for professional reproduction of 4- X 5-inch copies using this poster's native file format.

Costs and Limitations on Mailing

The posters and stickers displayed on these Web pages are available to California businesses, governmental agencies, public service organizations, and educational institutions in limited quantities at no charge. Quantities mailed to California addresses are limited based on actual need and the quantities in stock. Quantities mailed to addresses outside of California may be more restricted.

Applicability of Posters and Stickers Outside of California

Some of the posters and stickers displayed on these Web pages are specially designed to address waste challenges and waste regulations that are unique to California. Although, they might also be suitable for use within other states and countries, it is the responsibility of the people outside of California who request, print, or distribute these posters and stickers to assure that they accurately reflect the needs of the locations where they are used, as well as all laws applicable at those locations.

Permission and Restriction Regarding Duplication

The Know Where to Throw poster and sticker was designed and produced by the Contra Costa County Health Services Department under a grant from U.S. EPA Region 9. Lauren Wohl Design created the original images. CIWMB subsequently edited the poster and sticker at the request of Contra Costa County Health Services Department and U.S. EPA Region 9. Contra Costa County Health Services Department, U.S. EPA Region 9, and CIWMB, encourage businesses, governmental agencies, public service organizations, and educational institutions to reproduce and distribute the Know Where to Throw poster and sticker to help promote waste reduction, recycling, and safe disposal. The images rendered by the digital files on this page may be used, resized, redesigned and reprinted by anyone for a nonprofit purpose without permission.

Tips Regarding Medical Waste Posters and Stickers

If you are not in California, you might need to edit the posters and stickers before you use them so that the posters and stickers accurately depict the regulatory requirements in your area. Additionally, if you are not in California you will probably want to remove the statement that says, "These instructions are valid only in California."

Important Tip--Your posters and stickers will last longer if you print them on plastic coated paper. You might want to consider using paper with a PVC-free plastic coating.

Very Important Tip--Not all stickers stick well, or for a long time. If you intend to print stickers, then get some blank samples of the sticker paper to test before you have the image printed. Try sticking the samples on all the types of containers that you intend to label before you have your professional printer print onto the sticker paper. Let the test stickers stay on your test containers at least a few days before you decide. A week would be better. Some sticker paper that seems to stick quite well at first mysteriously peels itself off several days later.

Other Health Care Resources

Waste Prevention Information Exchange, Health Care Waste.
Business Waste Reduction Resources Index.

Who Regulates What in California?

Medical Waste and Waste from Radiological Activities�The State agency that regulates medical waste in California is the Department of Health Services. For information or assistance with medical waste contact:

The Department of Health Services, Medical Waste Management Program at (916) 449-5671 or medwasteinfo@dhs.ca.gov.
The Department of Health Services, Radiologic Health Branch, (916) 445-0931.

Hazardous Waste--The State agency that regulates hazardous waste in California is the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). For information or assistance with hazardous waste contact the DTSC and Business Liaisons at (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942), or call or visit the regional DTSC office nearest you:

DTSC Headquarters, (916) 323-2678
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 94812
Sacramento Office, (916) 255-3617
8800 Cal Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826
Berkeley Office, (510) 540-3739
700 Heinz Avenue, 2nd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94710
Clovis Office, (559) 297-3901
1515 Tollhouse Road, Clovis, CA 93611-0522
Glendale Office, (818) 551-2830
1011 North Grandview Ave., Glendale, CA 94710
Cypress Office, (714) 484-5400
5796 Corporate Ave., Cypress, CA 90630
San Diego Office, (619) 278-3734
2878 Camino del Rio South, Suite 402, San Diego, CA 92108-3847

Solid Waste--The State agency that regulates solid waste (garbage) in California is the California Integrated Waste Management Board. For information or assistance with solid waste contact bzassist@ciwmb.ca.gov. Health care waste prevention resources are available from the Waste Prevention Information Exchange. Other waste prevention resources are available from the Business Waste Reduction Resources Index.