What should be placed in a yellow container with an orange lid?

• A. Sharps not contaminated with POMs
• B. Cytotoxic and cytostatic materials
• C. Denatured controlled drugs, out-of-date medicines and any material contaminated with pharmaceutical agents
• D. Offensive non-hazardous waste

Answer: (A)

The main idea is waste segregation using color-coded containers to route items to the correct disposal stream. A yellow container with an orange lid is specifically for sharps that have not been contaminated with prescription medicines (POMs). Sharps like needles, syringes, and scalpel blades must be disposed of in a puncture-resistant container to prevent injuries, and when those sharps are not contaminated with hazardous drugs, this yellow/orange-lidded bin is the appropriate receptacle. If the sharps were contaminated with medicines or hazardous agents, they would require a different waste stream (cytotoxic/cytostatic or other pharmaceutical waste). Offensive non-hazardous waste, and denatured controlled drugs or material contaminated with pharmaceutical agents, would not go into this container. This separation helps ensure safe handling and proper disposal.