Biomedical (health-care) waste management in Canada follows CCME's Guidelines for the Management of Biomedical Waste, applied provincially (e.g. CSA Z317.10). The core steps are: segregate by category at the point of generation (human anatomical, animal, microbiology/lab, blood & body fluids, sharps, general), use colour-coded/labelled containers, minimize storage time, and treat/dispose by a method matched to the category.
Solid biomedical waste (sharps, contaminated dressings, cultures, anatomical material) — segregated at source into puncture-resistant (sharps) or leak-proof biohazard bags/containers, then autoclaved (steam sterilization) or incinerated; anatomical waste is typically incinerated or cremated per provincial requirements; treated residue can then go to a regular landfill.
Liquid biomedical waste (blood, body fluids, contaminated liquids) — typically disinfected chemically (e.g. hypochlorite) or by autoclaving in a sealed container before discharge to sanitary sewer under the facility's discharge permit; large volumes may require solidification before landfill disposal, since most jurisdictions restrict free liquids to landfill.
