How to Dispose of PPE: Smart, Safe, and Compliant Practices in Canada

When it comes to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), most of the attention tends to go toward what you wear: masks, gloves, gowns, and shields. But there’s another side that’s just as important: How to dispose of PPE properly once it’s been used.

If you’re running a business in Canada, whether it’s a medical facility, warehouse, construction site, or retail space, getting PPE disposal wrong can also lead to regulatory trouble, damage your reputation, and even harm the environment. In this guide, we’re going to walk you through everything you need to know to handle PPE disposal the right way, backed by best practices and Canadian standards.

Understanding the Types of PPE Waste

Before you throw everything into a black garbage bag, you need to understand the types of PPE waste and how they should be treated differently:

1. Non-Hazardous PPE Waste

This includes items like disposable gloves, masks, and aprons used in non-medical settings or where no contamination is involved. These can often be disposed of in general waste streams unless otherwise directed.

2. Hazardous or Contaminated PPE Waste

Hazardous PPE waste includes used items from healthcare or lab environments, especially those contaminated with bodily fluids, chemicals, or infectious material. These must go into regulated biomedical waste bins.

3. Reusable PPE

Face shields, goggles, or respirators that are designed to be reused should be sanitized using approved disinfectants. Once damaged or worn beyond reuse, these must be discarded according to material-specific waste rules (plastic vs. electronic components).

Why PPE Disposal Deserves Your Full Attention

You might be wondering why it is so important to learn the correct way to dispose of PPE. Well, there’s an answer to that, and that is, if that PPE gear up in the wrong bin, or worse, tossed carelessly on the ground, it loses all its protective value.

Improper disposal of PPE can expose others to potential contamination and increase the spread of infectious diseases. It could also lead to environmental microplastic pollution. You should also not forget that substandard PPE disposal practices can also undermine the professionalism and safety culture of your business.

In Canada, provinces like Ontario and British Columbia have implemented specific waste protocols for PPE during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. While some of the emergency policies have been lifted, the need for proper disposal remains urgent, especially for high-risk facilities like clinics, nursing homes, and laboratories.

How Do You Actually Dispose of PPE Properly?

Let’s break it down into actionable steps so you can put this into practice across your organization.

1. Set Up Clearly Marked PPE Disposal Bins

If your staff or customers use PPE on-site, then a regular trash can won’t cut it. You need designated bins clearly labelled for PPE waste. These should be lined with strong bags, ideally with a foot-pedal lid to avoid contact.

You can even find PPE-specific waste stations that separate gloves, masks, and shields for better sorting. Many businesses order these from industrial PPE suppliers like Young Wave, which offers accessories for both usage and disposal workflows.

2. Use Colour-Coded Bag Systems

Many workplaces in Canada follow the colour-coded approach:

• Black bags: General PPE (non-contaminated)

• Yellow bags: Biohazard PPE (medical or lab settings)

• Blue bins: Recyclable PPE (if applicable and accepted)

Check with your local municipality or health authority to confirm accepted disposal practices for your region.

3. Minimize Cross-Contamination

This is where many businesses slip up. Discarded gloves or masks often end up in lunch areas, bathrooms, or workstations. To prevent this, train staff on proper doffing procedures, install signs reminding people where to toss their used PPE and place disposal stations near exits or equipment rooms.

When people see PPE as just trash, that’s when it becomes a problem. Reinforce the idea that PPE disposal is part of the safety protocol, not an afterthought.

4. Partner with Certified Waste Disposal Services

For high-risk PPE waste, such as what’s generated in healthcare or chemical manufacturing, regular garbage collection isn’t enough. You’ll need to work with licensed biomedical waste services that handle pick-up, transport, and incineration.

This is especially important if your business falls under CSA Z317 or similar regulatory codes. These partners provide traceable waste logs that protect you in case of an inspection or audit.

What About Recyclable PPE?

It’s a tricky subject. While there’s a growing push toward eco-friendly disposable PPE, not all municipalities in Canada are equipped to recycle it, especially if it’s contaminated.

Some companies are exploring recyclable options for gloves, face shields, or masks, but you’ll need to confirm if your local recycling program accepts them. Otherwise, they must go through regulated waste.

If sustainability is a concern for your team, you can look for reusable PPE options from trusted Canadian providers.

Make PPE Disposal Part of Your Workplace Culture

Nowadays, businesses treat PPE as a “buy, use, toss” product cycle. But when you build disposal into your day-to-day operations, it reinforces a culture of safety.

That means ordering disposal supplies with every PPE restock, assigning responsibility for bin maintenance and collection and including disposal training in onboarding or safety refreshers.

If you’re sourcing your PPE from a provider like Young Wave, be sure to also look into PPE accessories that support disposal, like bags, liners, signage, and modular storage solutions. These small details make a big difference when you’re managing safety at scale.

Conclusion: Don’t Just Wear PPE, Dispose of It Right

How to dispose of PPE might not be the first thing on your mind when you order your next box of masks or gloves, but it should be. A smart disposal plan protects your workers, your community, and your brand.

Ready to upgrade your PPE strategy from start to finish? Partner up with Young Wave and find PPE quality products and accessories that support both usage and disposal, designed for Canadian businesses like yours. Get in touch to learn more.