Regulated Medical Waste
Regulated medical waste is regulated at the state level as either municipal or residual waste, and includes wastes generated in the treatment of humans such as:
• Cultures and stocks
• Pathological wastes: tissues, body parts and body fluids – but not extracted teeth – removed during medical or laboratory procedures
• Human blood and body fluid waste: items saturated or dripping with blood, items caked with dried blood or items contaminated by body fluids during medical and laboratory procedures
• Used sharps: used in patient care or treatment such as hypodermic needles, syringes and suture needles
Regulated medical waste must be handled and stored separately from other wastes. Appropriate containers such as double bags or rigid containers must be used to store regulated medical waste. With the exception of used sharps, regulated medical waste may only be stored for up to 30 days from the date the bag is full or sealed( whichever came first) at room temperature or in the refrigerator( provided no problems are encountered with odors or organisms such as insects or mice), or for up to 90 days in a freezer. Used sharps may be stored in appropriate containers until the containers are full.
Regulated medical waste regulations also specify transportation requirements. Waste must be transported in containers that are rigid, leak-proof, impervious to moisture and sufficient in strength to prevent puncturing, tearing, or bursting during transportation. Ordinarily, regulated medical waste may only be transported by licensed medical waste haulers. However, most dental offices are very small quantity generators( less than 220 pounds per month) any may transport regulated medical waste if:
• Only the medical waste generated by their office is transported.
• A log or shipping paper is recorded and maintained by the dental office, listing the quantity of waste transported and the date delivered and accepted by the processing or disposal facility.
• The dental office carries and delivers a copy of the transportation record with the waste shipment to the processing or disposal facility.
Note: Dental carpules that contain residual anesthetic should be disposed of in a container properly labeled as pharmaceutical waste and transported to a medical waste incinerator. Autoclave treatment does not break down pharmaceutical waste as it does other medical wastes, and thus incineration is required. Used dental carpules that are empty and do not contain any residual anesthetic should be disposed of in a sharps container.
6 PDA Waste Management Guidelines