Abstract
Potentially infectious wastes, if not properly treated, could expose both humans and the environment to untreated microbes and toxins, and create a potential for illness. Therefore, all pathogenic materials used in research must be destroyed by heat or chemical treatment prior to disposal as biomedical waste. Additionally, bacterial waste from nonpathogenic bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance must be treated before placement in the waste stream to avoid transmission of the antibiotic-resistant trait. In biomedical laboratories, glassware, beakers, test tubes, and other contaminated research material are usually treated by autoclaving before placing them into the waste stream or recycling for continued use in the laboratory.