Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 167 - Pollution Control Agency
Chapter 7035 - SOLID WASTE
INFECTIOUS WASTE
Part 7035.9110 - DEFINITIONS

Subpart 1. Scope.

As used in parts 7035.9100 to 7035.9150, the following terms have the meanings given them.

Subp. 2. Agency.

"Agency" means the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, its agent, or representative.

Subp. 3. Blood.

"Blood" means waste human blood and blood products in containers, or solid waste saturated and dripping human blood or blood products. Human blood products include serum, plasma, and other blood components.

Subp. 4. Commercial transporter.

"Commercial transporter" means a person who transports infectious or pathological waste for compensation.

Subp. 5. Commissioner.

"Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Subp. 6. Decontamination.

"Decontamination" means rendering infectious waste safe for routine handling as a solid waste.

Subp. 7. Disinfection.

"Disinfection" means the use of chemical solutions to substantially reduce the number of microorganisms present on surfaces of inanimate objects.

Subp. 8. Facility.

"Facility" means a site where infectious waste is stored, disposed, or decontaminated, including incineration.

Subp. 9. Generator.

"Generator" means a person whose activities produce infectious waste. Generator does not include a person who produces sharps as a result of administering medication to oneself, an ambulance service licensed under Minnesota Statutes, section 144E.10, an eligible board of health, community health board, or public health nursing agency as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 116.78, subdivision 10, or a program providing school health service under Minnesota Statutes, section 123.35, subdivision 17.

Subp. 10. Infectious waste.

"Infectious waste" means laboratory waste, blood, regulated body fluids, sharps, and research animal waste that have not been decontaminated.

Subp. 11. Laboratory waste.

"Laboratory waste" means waste cultures and stocks of agents that are generated from a laboratory and are infectious to humans; discarded contaminated items used to inoculate, transfer, or otherwise manipulate cultures or stocks of agents that are infectious to humans; wastes from the production of biological agents that are infectious to humans; and discarded live or attenuated vaccines that are infectious to humans.

Subp. 12. Management plan.

"Management plan" means a written and implemented system, as described in part 7035.9130, for the safe handling of infectious or pathological waste through collection, disinfection, transport, storage, and disposal.

Subp. 13. Offsite.

"Offsite" means a land area and appurtenances for the decontamination, storage, or disposal of infectious waste that is not on the generator's site.

Subp. 14. Operator.

"Operator" means the person or persons responsible for the operation of a facility.

Subp. 15. Owner or facility owner.

"Owner or facility owner" means the person or persons who own a facility or part of a facility.

Subp. 16. Pathological waste.

"Pathological waste" means human tissues and body parts removed accidentally or during surgery or autopsy intended for disposal. Pathological waste does not include teeth.

Subp. 17. Person.

"Person" means an individual, partnership, association, public or private corporation, or other legal entity, the United States government, an interstate body, the state, and an agency, department, or political subdivision of the state.

Subp. 18. Putrefaction.

"Putrefaction" means the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms, producing foul-smelling matter.

Subp. 19. Regulated human body fluids.

"Regulated human body fluids" means cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and amniotic fluid that are in containers or that drip freely from body fluid soaked solid waste items.

Subp. 20. Research animal waste.

"Research animal waste" means carcasses, body parts, and blood derived from animals knowingly and intentionally exposed to agents that are infectious to humans for the purpose of research, production of biologicals, or testing of pharmaceuticals.

Subp. 21. Sharps.

"Sharps" means:

Subp. 22. Spill.

"Spill" means the release of infectious waste to the environment.

Subp. 23. Storage.

"Storage" means the offsite holding of infectious waste for more than 48 hours, except when such waste is accepted on a Friday, provided that any waste so accepted must be disposed of not later than the following Monday.