Animal bedding can be categorized into three different waste streams at the NIH. These are uncontaminated waste, uncontaminated compost and MPW waste. Composting uncontaminated animal bedding is a goal of the Division of Environmental Protection. Uncontaminated bedding could potentially be composted or used as landscape mulch​​. Contaminated bedding should be disposed of as chemical, radioactive, or medical waste, based on the contaminant. Animal bedding contaiminated with infectious or pathological agents must be disposted of through the MPW waste stream. Animal bedding contaiminated with cytotoxic, cytostatic or neoplastic drugs that cannot be decontaiminated through autoclaving must be disposed of as MPW waste. ​