​​The NIH waste management program covers all waste services at the NIH. The key goals of the program is to: maximize the amount of waste that gets recycled, recovered, or beneficially reused; reduce the amount of toxic chemicals purchased and used at the NIH; provide prompt and effective service in support of the NIH research​ mission; comply with all applicable waste regulations; and avoid unnecessary chemical wastes through smaller quantity orders.​

The NIH Waste Disposal Guide​​​ is your first-step resource for hands-on understanding of NIH Waste programs and the role of NIH staff in managing waste across all waste streams.​ The waste streams for the NIH are grouped into the following categories (click each section for more information):

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​General Waste​ ​General waste is waste material free of any apparent pathological/infectious, radioactive, or hazardous chemical contamination. Please note that most general waste can be recycled​!	Chemical Waste​​ ​Non-radioactive chemicals (solids, liquids, gases) and other waste with hazardous chemicals ​
Multihazardous Waste​ (see NIH Waste Guide)​ Multihazardous waste contains two or more of the following: radioactive material, infectious agent(s), or hazardous chemical(s)	Radioactive Waste​​​ ​​Radioactive waste is any waste that contains or is contaminated with radioactive material ​
​Medical Pathological Waste (MPW)​ ​Waste containing or contaminated with the infectious or pathogenic agent(s), but not ​contaminated with radioisotopes or hazardous chemicals	Construction & Demolition Debris​​ ​Waste materials from construction or demolition actions
​Commingled Recycling​ ​Widespread recycling for common items made of glass, metal and plastic	​Other Recycling Programs​ Other recycling programs for items not included in general recycling

You may also find useful information regarding waste and recycling on these pages:

• ​The Benefits of Recycling​
• ​Recycling by NIH Campus​
  
• Recycling at Home