What are waste items contaminated by body fluids that have the potential to transmit disease called?

The term used to describe waste items that are contaminated by body fluids and have the potential to transmit disease is "biohazard." This classification indicates that the materials pose a risk to human health and the environment due to their association with biological agents that can cause infection or other adverse health effects. Biohazardous waste includes items such as soiled dressings, syringes, or any material that has come into contact with bodily fluids that could harbor pathogens.

While other terms like hazardous waste or infectious waste are often related, they cover different scopes. Hazardous waste generally pertains to any waste that poses a risk due to its chemical properties rather than biological concerns. Infectious waste is closely related but doesn't encompass all types of biohazardous materials, which may include non-infectious waste that is still contaminated with body fluids. Contaminated material could refer to anything tainted by bodily fluids but lacks the specific classification that the term biohazard provides, which signifies both the presence of biological contamination and its potential health risks.