REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE/BIOHAZARDOUS
Regulated medical waste (RMW), also known as ‘biohazardous’ waste or ‘infectious medical’ waste, is the portion of the waste stream that may be contaminated by blood, body fluids or other potentially infectious materials, thus posing a significant risk of transmitting infection. There are several key categories of medical waste that are typically classified as ‘regulated’. Each category typically has special handling requirements that may be state-specific.
- Pathological waste -Tissues, organs, body parts, and body fluids removed during surgery and autopsy.
- Human blood and blood products –Waste blood, serum, plasma and blood products.
- Cultures and stocks of infectious agents (microbiological waste) –Specimens from medical and pathology laboratories. Includes culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix. Also includes discarded live and attenuated vaccines.
- Contaminated sharps -Contaminated hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades, Pasteur pipettes, and broken glass.
- Isolation waste –Generated by hospitalized patients isolated to protect others from communicable disease.
- Contaminated animal carcasses, body parts and bedding– From animals intentionally exposed to pathogens in research, biologicals production, or in vivo pharmaceuticals testing.
Most state laws require RMW to be rendered non-infectious before it can be disposed of as solid waste. RMW is unique to the healthcare sector and presents a number of compliance challenges. Unlike many regulations that apply to healthcare, most regulations governing medical waste are defined at a state, rather than a federal level. Adding yet a further level of complexity, authority for medical waste rules often comes from multiple agencies at the state level. Federal law does not provide an explicit definition of medical waste. Typically, State Departments of Health issue the regulations that determine which wastes are considered ‘regulated’ or require special handling. BioSecure takes the time and has the resources to navigate the everchanging landscape of regulations and stipulations as it pertains to Regulated Medical Waste, it’s storage, transportation and eventual process of disposal. BioSecure would be honored and privileged to partner with your facility, offer a safe, clean and secure RMW disposal process, while at the same time, assist you with keeping your staff and clients “worry free.”