What should be placed in a yellow container with a blue lid?

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• B. Denatured controlled drugs, out-of-date medicines and any material contaminated with pharmaceutical agents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

Answer: (D)

In healthcare waste management, color and lid coding tells you how to dispose of different waste types. A yellow container with a blue lid is designated for offensive waste that is non-hazardous—items like used PPE, dressings, or other disposable materials that may be foul or odorous but are not infectious sharps or hazardous chemicals. This waste is usually incinerated.

Why this fits best: other waste streams require different containers because they are hazardous or require special handling—cytotoxic or cytostatic materials go in a cytotoxic waste stream, denatured controlled drugs and contaminated pharmaceutical materials go in pharmaceutical waste containers, and sharps (even if not contaminated with POMs) go into rigid sharps containers. Therefore, the yellow container with a blue lid is reserved for offensive non-hazardous waste.