Final answer:
Containers for potentially infectious materials must be marked with a biohazard symbol, and biohazardous waste must be autoclaved before disposal to prevent disease spread.
Step-by-step explanation:
All containers used to store waste products, blood, blood products, or other specimens that may be contaminated with bloodborne pathogens must be clearly marked with a bright orange-red biohazard symbol. A biohazard is any biological material that could potentially cause illness, such as diseased organisms or needles which may harbor blood contaminated with pathogens.
It is crucial to recognize the international symbol for biohazards and understand the disposal procedures for biohazardous waste which must be sterilized by an autoclave before disposal. The proper handling of these materials is essential to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and ensure safety in healthcare and laboratory environments.
A biohazard is any biological material that could make someone sick, including disease-causing organisms. Therefore, a used needle is a biohazard because it could harbor blood contaminated with a disease-causing organism. Bacteria grown in a laboratory are also biohazards if they could potentially cause disease.