Needles, syringes, scalpels and blades are disposed in:

Appeared in: OSSSC Nursing Officer-2021

Explanation

According to India's Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, all sharp objects that can cause punctures or cuts are categorized as 'Waste sharps'.
This category includes needles, syringes with fixed needles, scalpels, and blades.
The designated container for this type of waste is a white (translucent), puncture-proof, leak-proof, and tamper-proof container, often referred to as a sharps box or bin.

Option A: The black bag is used for general, non-infectious waste, such as office waste, paper, and food scraps. Disposing of sharps in a black bag is dangerous and violates waste management protocols.
Option C: The yellow bag is designated for infectious waste like human anatomical waste (tissues, organs), soiled dressings, plaster casts, and expired medicines. Sharps are not disposed of in yellow bags.
Option D: The red bag is for contaminated recyclable waste. This includes plastic items like IV tubing, catheters, and urine bags. While syringes (without the needle) go in the red bag, the needle itself (a sharp) does not.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Biomedical Waste Management (BMW) - Color Coding for Sharps Disposal as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Proper sharps disposal is a critical patient and healthcare worker safety measure. It is a primary method to prevent needlestick injuries.
Needlestick injuries from improperly disposed sharps pose a significant risk of transmitting blood-borne pathogens, including HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV).
What if? If a healthcare worker sustains a needlestick injury, the immediate first aid is to encourage bleeding, wash the area with soap and water, and then follow the facility's post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocol, which includes reporting the incident immediately.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the type of waste mentioned in the question: 'Needles, syringes, scalpels and blades' are all classified as sharps.
Next, recall the standard color-coding system for biomedical waste management.
Associate the 'sharps' category with its designated color and container type.
According to the guidelines, sharps go into a white, puncture-proof container.
Finally, evaluate the given options and select the one that best matches this description, which is 'white box'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Biomedical Waste Management (BMW) - Color Coding for Sharps Disposal
Stem keywords: Needles, syringes, scalpels, blades, disposed
Lead-in keywords: are disposed in

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

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