In hospital, non infectious wastes should be discarded in?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2019

Explanation

According to the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, black colored bags are designated for general or non-infectious waste.
This type of waste is comparable to domestic waste and does not pose a risk of infection.
Examples include paper, cardboard, packaging, food scraps, and beverage containers.
This waste is disposed of in municipal landfills without requiring special treatment like incineration or autoclaving.

Option A: Red colored bags are used for contaminated recyclable waste, not general waste. This includes items made of plastic like IV tubing, catheters, syringes (without needles), and gloves.
Option B: Blue colored bags or puncture-proof containers are designated for glassware (both broken and discarded) and metallic body implants.
Option D: Yellow colored bags are used for the most hazardous categories of biomedical waste, including human anatomical waste, animal waste, soiled dressings, expired medicines, and chemical waste.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Biomedical Waste Management (BMW) Color Coding helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Proper waste segregation is a fundamental nursing responsibility for infection control. It protects patients, healthcare staff, and the community from exposure to infectious agents.
Incorrect disposal increases the risk of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections and environmental pollution.
What if? If a used needle (a sharp) is mistakenly thrown into a black bag, it could cause a needlestick injury to a sanitation worker, potentially transmitting diseases like HIV or Hepatitis B/C. This highlights the critical safety implication of correct segregation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'non-infectious wastes'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of the Biomedical Waste Management (BMW) guidelines.
Mentally review the color-coding system for waste disposal in a hospital setting.
Associate 'non-infectious' or 'general' waste with its designated color.
Select the option that correctly matches the waste type with the bag color (Black for non-infectious).
Eliminate the other colors by recalling what types of infectious or hazardous waste they are used for (e.g., Yellow for anatomical, Red for plastic).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 276-535 of 550) p. 191-193

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 109-111

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.