Correct Answer: B. Blood bag
Yellow bags are designated for biomedical waste containing blood and blood products under the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (as amended in 2018) in India. Blood bags, blood-soaked materials, and other blood-contaminated waste fall under Category 1 (Yellow) waste. The colour-coding system is mandated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and is strictly enforced across all healthcare facilities in India. Yellow bags specifically contain infectious waste with high pathogenic potential, including blood, blood products, body fluids, and contaminated sharps that are segregated separately. This classification is critical because blood and blood products pose significant risk of transmission of bloodborne pathogens (HIV, HBV, HCV) and require incineration at ≥1000°C. The yellow bag system ensures proper segregation at the point of generation, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring safe handling by waste management personnel. Understanding this colour-coding is essential for all healthcare workers to prevent occupational exposure and environmental contamination in Indian healthcare settings.
Why the other options are wrong
A. Urine bag — Urine bags are disposed in blue bags (non-hazardous waste) unless they contain blood or are from patients with communicable diseases, in which case they may go to yellow bags. However, routine urine bags are classified as general/non-hazardous waste. This is a common trap because students confuse liquid waste categories with infectious waste categories. C. Sharps — Sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels, broken glass) are disposed in red bags or red containers (puncture-proof, leak-proof) under Category 2 waste. While sharps may be contaminated with blood, they are segregated separately due to injury risk. NBE often tests whether students know that sharps have their own dedicated colour code despite blood contamination. D. Gloves — Gloves are disposed in black bags (general non-hazardous waste) if uncontaminated, or yellow bags only if heavily blood-soaked or contaminated with infectious material. Routine latex/nitrile gloves from non-infectious procedures go to black bags. This trap tests whether students conflate all personal protective equipment with infectious waste.
High-Yield Facts
- Yellow bag = Category 1 biomedical waste (blood, blood products, body fluids, contaminated sharps requiring incineration)
- Red bag = Category 2 waste (sharps, needles, syringes in puncture-proof containers)
- Blue bag = Category 3 waste (non-hazardous, general waste including routine urine, faeces)
- Black bag = General non-hazardous waste (uncontaminated gloves, paper, cardboard)
- Yellow bag waste requires incineration at ≥1000°C to destroy bloodborne pathogens (HIV, HBV, HCV)
- Biomedical Waste Management Rules 2016 (amended 2018) is the Indian statutory framework for all healthcare facilities
Mnemonics
YELLOW = Blood & Body fluids Yellow bag = Yellow = Yellow fever/infectious blood. Remember: Yellow = Infectious waste with blood/body fluids requiring incineration. Colour-coding hierarchy (YRBB) Yellow (blood/infectious), Red (sharps), Blue (non-hazardous), Black (general). Use this sequence to recall which waste goes where.
NBE Trap
NBE tests whether students confuse sharps disposal (red bag) with blood-contaminated waste (yellow bag). Many students incorrectly assume all blood-contaminated items go to red bags because sharps are often blood-soaked, missing that sharps have their own dedicated colour code despite contamination.
Clinical Pearl
In Indian hospitals, improper segregation of biomedical waste is a leading cause of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens among sanitation workers. Correct yellow bag disposal ensures incineration of blood-contaminated waste, preventing transmission of HIV and hepatitis to waste handlers—a critical occupational health issue in resource-limited Indian healthcare settings.
_Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine (Ch. 13 - Biomedical Waste Management); Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (amended 2018), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India_