Environmental health: biomedical waste, red bag: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Environmental health: biomedical waste, red bag

Sample item

A ward nurse disposes of used intravenous tubing, urinary catheters and urine bags after use. Under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016, which container is correct?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Red bag for contaminated recyclable plastic waste

Contaminated plastic items such as tubing, catheters, urine bags and syringes without needles are collected in a red bag and sent for autoclaving or microwaving followed by shredding and recycling. They must not be burnt because plastics release toxic emissions. Yellow, blue and white containers receive other categories.

Option by option

  • A. Red bag for contaminated recyclable plastic waste (correct)

    Correct. Red bags are for contaminated recyclable plastics.

  • B. Blue box for glassware

    Blue containers are for glass and metallic implants.

  • C. Yellow bag for incineration

    Yellow bags are for anatomical, soiled and expired medicine waste.

  • D. White translucent puncture-proof container

    White translucent containers are for needles and other sharps.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More PSM questions

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is A, Red bag for contaminated recyclable plastic waste. Contaminated plastic items such as tubing, catheters, urine bags and syringes without needles are collected in a red bag and sent for autoclaving or microwaving followed by shredding and recycling.

Why is "Blue box for glassware" not the answer?

Blue containers are for glass and metallic implants.

Why is "Yellow bag for incineration" not the answer?

Yellow bags are for anatomical, soiled and expired medicine waste.

Why is "White translucent puncture-proof container" not the answer?

White translucent containers are for needles and other sharps.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Environmental health: biomedical waste, red bag in PSM. They must not be burnt because plastics release toxic emissions. Yellow, blue and white containers receive other categories.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Environmental health: biomedical waste, red bag?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.