Georgia

Biomedical

Waste

Definition of Biomedical

Waste

Biomedical Waste

means any solid waste which contains pathological waste, biological

waste, cultures, and stocks of infectious agents and associated

biologicals, contaminated animal carcasses (body parts, their

bedding, and other wastes from such animals), chemotherapy waste,

discarded medical equipment and parts, not including expendable

supplies and materials, which have not been decontaminated.

• Pathological waste means all recognizable human tissues and

  body parts except teeth, which are removed during surgery, obstetrical

  procedures, autopsy, and laboratory procedures.

• Biological waste means blood and blood products, exudates,

  secretions, suctionings, and other body fluids, which contains

  free liquids and cannot be or are not directly discarded into

  a municipal sewer system.

• Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals

  including cultures from medical and pathological laboratories,

  cultures and stocks of infectious agents from research and industrial

  laboratories, wastes from the production of biologicals, discarded

  live and attenuated vaccines, and culture dishes and devices

  used to transfer, inoculate, and mix cultures.

• Contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, their bedding, and

  other wastes from such animals which are infected with or which

  have been exposed to infectious agents, capable of causing disease

  in man.

• Sharps, which mean any discarded article that may cause punctures

  or cuts. Such waste includes, but is not limited to, items such

  as needles, IV tubing and syringes with needles attached, and

  scalpel blades.

• Chemotherapy waste, which means any disposable material which

  has come in contact with cytotoxic/antineoplastic agents toxic

  to cells) and/or antineoplastic agents (agents that inhibit

  or prevent the growth and spread of tumors or malignant cells)

  during the preparation, handling, and administration of such

  agents. Such waste includes, but is not limited to, masks, gloves,

  gowns, empty IV tubing bags and vials, and other contaminated

  materials. The above waste must first be classified as empty

  which means such quantity that it is not subject to other federal

  or state waste management regulations prior to being handled

  as biomedical waste.

• Discarded medical equipment and parts, excluding expendable

  supplies and materials included in the above wastes, which have

  not been decontaminated, and that were in contact with infectious

  agents.

Managing

Biomedical Waste

Generators

Unless exempt under the regulations, these requirements apply

to all persons generating or handling biomedical waste, including 

but not limited to: ambulatory service centers, blood banks, clinics,

county health departments, dental offices, funeral homes, health

maintenance organizations (HMOs), hospitals, laboratories, medical

buildings, physicians offices, veterinary offices, research and

manufacturing facilities, nursing homes, and biomedical waste

transportation, storage, treatment, and disposal facilities.

Storage and Containment of Biomedical Waste

• Containment of biomedical waste shall be in a manner and location

  which affords protection from animals, rain and wind, does not

  provide a breeding place or a food source for insects and rodents,

  and minimizes exposure to the public.

• Biomedical waste

  shall be segregated by separate containment from other waste

  at the point of origin.

• Biomedical waste, except for sharps, shall be placed in containers

  that are impervious to moisture and have strength sufficient

  to preclude ripping, tearing, or bursting under normal conditions

  of use. The containers shall be securely closed so as to prevent

  leakage or expulsion of solid or liquid wastes during storage,

  handling, or transport.

• Sharps shall be contained for storage, transportation, treatment

  and subsequent disposal in leak-proof, rigid, puncture-resistant

  containers that are taped closed or tightly lidded to preclude

  loss of contents.

• Rigid containers of discarded sharps

  and all other disposable containers used for containment of

  biomedical waste shall be

  red or orange in color or clearly identified with the universal

  biohazard symbol or clearly marked with the word "Biohazard".

• Biomedical waste contained in disposable containers as prescribed above, shall be placed for storage, handling, or transport in disposable or reusable pails, cartons, boxes, drums, dumpsters, or portable bins. The containment system shall have a tight fitting cover and be kept clean and in good repair.

• The containers may be of any color and

  shall be conspicuously labeled with the universal biohazard

  symbol and the word "Biohazard" on the sides so as

  to be readily visible from any lateral direction when the container

  is upright.

• Reusable containers used for shipment of biomedical waste shall

  be thoroughly washed and decontaminated each time they are emptied.

• Reusable pails, drums, dumpsters or

  bins used for containment of biomedical waste shall not be

  used for other purposes except

  after being decontaminated by procedures as described above

  and after the universal biohazard symbol and word "Biohazard" are

  removed.

Transfer of Biomedical

Waste to Off-Site Treatment or Disposal Facilities

• Any generator of biomedical waste shall transfer custody of

  the waste only to a collector who is operating under authority

  of the regulations.

• Biomedical waste shall not be transported in the same vehicle

  with other solid waste unless the biomedical waste is contained

  in a separate, fully enclosed leak-proof container within the

  vehicle compartment or unless all of the waste is to be treated

  as biomedical waste.

• Biomedical waste shall be delivered for storage, including

  intermediate transfer, and treatment only to a facility or location

  for which there is a valid and appropriate operating permit.

• Surfaces of transport vehicles that have contacted spilled

  or leaked biomedical waste shall be decontaminated.

• Equipment used to transport waste from the generator to the

  off-site treatment or disposal facility may not destroy the

  integrity of the container.

• Vehicles used for the transport of biomedical waste shall not

  be used for transportation of food or food products.

Treatment of Biomedical

Waste

If treated in accordance

with the following procedures, the waste shall no longer be considered

biomedical waste and may be combined and handled with regular

solid waste. Biomedical waste shall be treated by one of the following

methods prior to disposal at a permitted solid waste disposal

facility.

• Incineration in a thermal treatment technology facility that

  provides complete combustion of waste to render it nonpathogenic.

• Decontamination by heating with steam under pressure (autoclave)

  so as to render the biomedical waste noninfectious.

• Other methods as approved by the Director.

• Fluid or semisolid waste may be discharged to a sewage treatment

  system that provides secondary treatment of waste if approved

  by the agency responsible for the operation of the sewage treatment

  system.

• Biomedical wastes consisting of recognizable human anatomical

  remains shall not be disposed of by landfilling.

• Chemotherapy waste shall be treated at a permitted thermal

  treatment technology facility or other approved facility.

• Steam decontamination may not be used for treatment of chemotherapy

  waste.

• All facilities treating regulated quantities of biomedical

  waste must, at a minimum, comply with the above criteria. Commercial

  biomedical waste treatment facilities may not construct or operate

  a biomedical waste treatment facility without first obtaining

  a solid waste handling permit.

• On-site biomedical waste treatment facilities are required

  to obtain a solid waste permit-by-Rule, and must comply with

  all applicable requirements. Commercial biomedical waste treatment

  facility means a facility that accepts over 25 percent of its

  biomedical waste from other, off-site, facilities, which are

  not owned by the facility owning the treatment or disposal facility,

  generally for a fee.

Disposal of Biomedical

Waste

• Biomedical wastes

  treated in accordance with the regulations shall be properly

  disposed of at a properly permitted facility, unless otherwise

  approved by the Director.

• Biomedical waste from generators of less than 100 pounds per

  month shall be properly disposed of at a municipal solid waste

  landfill or treatment facility permitted under authority of

  these Rules or other facilities approved by the Director.

• The disposal of untreated biomedical waste, from generators

  of more than 100 pounds per month, by landfilling, is prohibited.

OSHA

Regulations

In addition to the state medical

waste environmental regulations there are some Occupational

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules that apply to medical/infectious

waste. Georgia is one of 26 states covered entirely by the 

federal OSHA program. This program is operated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA rules (Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne

Pathogens Standards) impact various aspects of medical/infectious

waste, including management of sharps, requirements for containers

that hold or store medical/infectious waste, labeling of medical/infectious

waste bags/containers, and employee training. These requirements

can be found in the HERC section entitled OSHA

Standards for Regulated Waste

Statutes,

Regulations and Guidelines

Rules of Georgia, Department of Natural Resources, Environmental

Protection Division, Chapter 391-3-4 Solid Waste Management

Contacts

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Solid Waste Management

Program

More

Information

List of Operating Biomedical Collection and Treatment Facilities

Hospital Medical Infectious Waste Incineration

Notification Form

Hospital Medical Infectious Waste Incineration

Notification Form Instructions

Form for the Notification of Permit By Rule

Operations