In this guide
- What goes in
- What does NOT
What goes in the yellow container
- Empty chemo vials & syringes (RCRA-empty)
- IV bags, tubing & administration sets
- Contaminated gowns, gloves & PPE
- Prep-area trace-contaminated materials
What does NOT go in the yellow container
- Bulk chemo (unused drug, more-than-trace) — that’s RCRA-hazardous pharmaceutical waste
- Sharps — rigid sharps container
- Red-bag / infectious waste — separate stream
How yellow-container waste is destroyed
Trace-chemo yellow containers are incinerated at a permitted facility — never landfilled. Proper yellow-container use is a core part of a USP 800 hazardous-drug program.
Frequently asked questions
What goes in a yellow chemo container?
Trace-chemo waste — empty chemo vials and syringes, IV bags and tubing, and contaminated PPE — materials with only residual (trace) chemotherapy drug.
What should NOT go in a yellow container?
Bulk chemo (unused or more-than-trace drug, which is RCRA-hazardous), sharps (rigid container), and infectious red-bag waste.
Are yellow chemo containers incinerated?
Yes — trace-chemo yellow-container waste is incinerated at a permitted facility, not landfilled.
How does the yellow container fit USP 800?
Correct trace-chemo segregation into yellow containers is a required part of safe hazardous-drug handling and disposal under USP 800.
Keep reading
USP 800: The Complete Guide to Hazardous Drug Handling
Who USP <800> applies to, the facility/PPE/storage/disposal requirements, and how it connects to your chemo and RCRA waste program.
Read guide →Trace Chemo WasteChemotherapy Waste Disposal: The Complete Guide
Trace vs. bulk, the yellow-container rule, USP 800 handling, treatment, and how bulk/P-listed chemo is managed as RCRA-hazardous.
Read guide →Trace Chemo WasteChemotherapy Waste Disposal: Trace vs. Bulk Explained
Yellow-container rules, RCRA-hazardous bulk chemo, incineration, and how it ties to USP 800.
Read guide →