A.
Identification of Biomedical Waste
The following wastes may contain human pathogens of
sufficient virulence and in sufficient concentrations that exposure to them by
a susceptible host could result in disease and are, therefore, biomedical
wastes for the purposes of this rule.
(1) Discarded Human Blood, Blood Products,
and Body Fluids: Discarded blood, serum, plasma, blood products, and body
fluids. Body-fluids are defined as fluids which are generated or removed during
surgery, autopsy, obstetrics, emergency care, or embalming and include
cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid; peritoneal fluid,
pericardial fluid and amniotic fluid.
(2) Waste Saturated With Human Blood, Blood
Products, or Body Fluids: These may include items such as sponges, surgical
gloves and masks, drapes, aprons, dressings, disposable sheets and towels,
underpads, plastic tubing, suction canisters, used syringes without needles and
dialysis unit waste.
NOTE: The intent is to include waste which at the time of
generation is soaked or dripping with human blood, blood products or body
fluids. An example of material which may be included is a first change surgical
dressing.
(3) Pathological
Waste: Human tissues, organs, and anatomical parts including teeth, discarded
from surgery, autopsy, obstetrical procedures, and laboratory
procedures.
(4) Discarded Sharps
Used In Patient, Animal, Cadaver Care or In Medical and Biomedical Research
Laboratories: These include, but are not limited to, hypodermic needles,
syringes, scalpel blades, suture needles, disposable razors, lancets, capillary
tubes, Pasteur pipettes, broken glassware, IV tubing with needles attached, and
dialysis bags with needles attached.
(5) Discarded cultures and stocks of
infectious agents and the culture dishes and devices used to transfer,
inoculate and mix cultures; discarded clinical specimens and the associated
containers or vials; discarded biologicals; and waste from the production of
biologicals and recombinant DNA research.
(6) Discarded Carcasses, Body Parts, Bedding
and Other Waste Generated By Research Facilities From Animals Containing
Organisms or Agents Not Usual To The Normal Animal Environment And Which Are
Pathogenic or Hazardous to Humans.
B.
Cytotoxic Drugs, Chemotherapy
Waste
The following wastes may be managed as biomedical waste for
the purpose of this rule:
(1)
Cytotoxic (antineoplastic) drugs not identified as hazardous wastes in Chapter
850 of the Department's regulations.
(2) Chemotherapy waste - All materials that
have come in contact with, and have no more than trace amounts of, cytotoxic
(antineoplastic) agents.
C.
Exclusions
The following wastes are not biomedical waste for the purpose
of this rule:
(1) Human remains. Human
remains that are stored, transported or otherwise handled for the purpose of
internment or cremation are not subject to the requirements of this
rule.
(2) Urine and
feces.
(3) Sludge and septage.
Sludge means the semi-solid or liquid residual generated from a municipal,
commercial or industrial wastewater treatment plant. Septage means waste,
refuse, effluent, sludge and any other materials from septic tanks, cesspools,
or any other similar facilities.
(4) Water and wastewater samples. Wastes
generated as a result of the routine screening of water and wastewater samples
are not subject to the requirements of this rule.
