Which item is considered a biohazardous material requiring disposal in an appropriate container or bag?

Which item is considered a biohazardous material requiring disposal in an appropriate container or bag?

• A. Tattoo gun needle or soiled bed sheet
• B. Empty coffee cup
• C. Paper clip
• D. Rubber glove

Answer: (B)

Disposing of items that could carry infectious material requires using containers designed to prevent exposure — like puncture‑resistant sharps containers for needles and red biohazard bags for contaminated fabrics or linens. The tattoo gun needle or a soiled bed sheet clearly fits this category because both can be contaminated with blood or bodily fluids and can pose a risk if put in regular trash. They must go into appropriate disposal containers to prevent transmission of infections.

An empty coffee cup isn’t inherently hazardous once clean and dry, so it generally goes into regular waste. A paper clip is just a small metal item with no biological risk. A rubber glove can be contaminated in medical or lab settings and would usually be disposed of in a biohazard bag as well, but the strongest, most unambiguous example here is the tattoo needle or soiled bed sheet.