An evacuation apparatus for evacuating material from a surgical site, comprising: a housing comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing; an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is provided in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing; one or more ingress apertures formed in the outer sidewall and in fluid communication with the access opening; and a filter media positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures moves through the filter media; and a vacuum device in fluid communication with the inner cavity; wherein the housing further comprises a support material, which is a generally porous material, positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing upon actuation of the vacuum device; and wherein at least a portion of the filter media and at least a portion of the support material are provided in a layering arrangement comprising a layer of the filter media overlaying or being overlaid by a layer of the support material. a housing comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing; an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is provided in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing; one or more ingress apertures formed in the outer sidewall and in fluid communication with the access opening; and a filter media positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures moves through the filter media; and a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing; an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is provided in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing; one or more ingress apertures formed in the outer sidewall and in fluid communication with the access opening; and a filter media positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures moves through the filter media; and a vacuum device in fluid communication with the inner cavity; wherein the housing further comprises a support material, which is a generally porous material, positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing upon actuation of the vacuum device; and wherein at least a portion of the filter media and at least a portion of the support material are provided in a layering arrangement comprising a layer of the filter media overlaying or being overlaid by a layer of the support material.