Management and Disposal of Biohazardous Waste
Biomedical Waste
INDEX
Purpose
Policy
Definitions
Responsibilities
Storage
Transfer
Labeling
Permits
Recordkeeping
References
A. Purpose
To establish minimum sanitary practices relating to the segregation, handling, labeling, storage, treatment, and disposal of biological waste, as established by Chapter 64E-16, Florida Administrative Code, Florida Statutes Chapter 381, and the Code of Federal Regulations Ch. 29, part 1910.1030, so as to minimize exposure of employees, patients, the public, and the environment to disease-causing agents.
This policy applies to all units at Florida Gulf Coast University that generate biological waste. To avoid oversight and housekeeping problems, all waste of a biological nature shall be disposed of according to this procedure.
C. Definitions
The following terms are used in this policy:
BIOHAZARD – Any potentially hazardous or regulated biological material applicable to any laws, contracts, permits, and accepted biosafety guidelines.
BIOMEDICAL (BIOHAZARDOUS) WASTE - Any solid or liquid waste which may present a threat of infection to humans. This may include non-liquid tissue, body parts, blood, blood products, and body fluids from humans and other primates which contain human disease-causing agents; and discarded sharps. This could also include used, absorbent materials and non-absorbent, disposable devices that have been contaminated. Specimens or samples collected for laboratory testing or use in research or teaching are not considered biological waste until such time as the material is discarded. This may include bacterial, viral, or tissue cultures, as well as animal parts or carcasses.
BIOMEDICAL WASTE GENERATOR - A facility or person that produces biological waste.
BODY FLUIDS - Those fluids which have the potential to harbor pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus and include blood, blood products, lymph, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and amniotic fluids.
CONTAMINATED - Soiled by any biological waste.
DECONTAMINATION - The process of removing pathogenic microorganisms from objects or surfaces, thereby rendering them safe for handling.
EH&S - The Office of Environmental Health and Safety of Florida Gulf Coast University.
FACILITY - All contiguous land, structures, and other appurtenances which are owned, operated, and licensed as a single entity which may consist of several generating, treatment, or storage units.
F.A.C. - Florida Administrative Code.
F.S. - Florida Statute.
HAZARDOUS WASTE - Those materials defined in Chapter 62-730, F.A.C.
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER - Any person who provides professional medical care to another individual.
LEAK RESISTANT - Prevents liquid from escaping to the environment in the upright position.
OUTER CONTAINER - Any rigid type container used to enclose packages of biological waste.
PACKAGES - Any material that completely envelops biological waste. This includes red bags, sharps containers and outer containers.
PERSON - Any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or public body engaged in the generation, storage, transport, or treatment of biological waste.
POINT OF ORIGIN - The room or area where the biological waste is generated.
PUNCTURE RESISTANT - Able to withstand punctures from contained sharps during normal usage and handling.
RESTRICTED - The use of any measure, such as a lock, sign, or location, to prevent unauthorized entry.
SATURATED - Soaked to capacity.
SEALED - Free from openings that allow the passage of liquids.
SHARPS - Objects capable of puncturing, lacerating, or otherwise penetrating the skin.
TREATMENT – Any process, including steam, chemicals, microwave shredding, or incineration, which changes the character or composition of biomedical waste to render it noninfectious by disinfection or sterilization.
UNIT - A clinical, laboratory or other contiguous area in which one or more individuals work together and produce biological waste.
UNIT SPECIFIC BIOMEDICAL WASTE PLAN - The plan developed within each unit outlining the specific procedures for segregation, handling, labeling, storing, and disposing of biomedical waste generated by that unit.
1. Each generating unit shall have a written Unit Specific Biomedical Waste Plan describing how that unit complies with the following procedures set forth below. The Plan must be submitted to, and approved by, EH&S, and must be updated when regulations, facility policies, or procedures change.
2. Biomedical waste shall be identified and segregated from other solid waste at the point of origin. Contaminated sharps shall be segregated from non-sharps biological waste.
3. All biological waste known to contain highly infectious agents (for example, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or any other significant pathogen) shall be rendered inactive through autoclaving or other treatment method.
4. Biological waste mixed with hazardous waste, as defined in Chapter 62-730,F.A.C., Hazardous Waste, shall be managed as hazardous waste according to the FGCU Hazardous Waste Policy. Radioactive waste of a biological nature will be decayed in storage or disposed according to the FGCU Radiation Safety Manual. Any other solid waste or liquid, which is neither hazardous nor radioactive in character, combined with untreated biological waste, shall be managed as untreated biological waste.
5. Before leaving the point of origin, biological waste, except sharps, shall be packaged and sealed in impermeable, red plastic bags that meet the specifications of 64E-16.011 F.A.C.
6. Sharps shall be discarded at the point of origin into single use or reusable sharps containers. Needles and scalpel blades shall not be placed directly into double-walled corrugated containers. Sharps containers must be sealed when full. A sharps container is considered full when materials placed into it reach the designated fill line, or, if a fill line is not indicated, when additional materials cannot be placed into the container without cramming or when no additional materials are to be placed in the container. The international biological hazard symbol shall be at least one inch in diameter on sharps containers.
7. Filled biohazard waste bags and sharps containers shall be placed in the approved biohazard waste container(s). If using the rigid, specially-labeled, puncture resistant corrugated cardboard boxes, tape all seams, and do not overfill.
8. All surfaces contaminated with spilled or leaked biological waste shall be cleaned with a solution of industrial strength detergent to remove visible soil and shall be disinfected with either a bleach (Hypochlorite) solution containing 100 parts per million chlorine, or any of the Chemical germicides that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as hospital disinfectants and are tuberculocidal when used at recommended dilutions.
Liquid waste created by these chemical disinfection operations shall be disposed into a sanitary sewer system. All solid material from a spill shall be placed in an appropriate package and disposed as biohazardous waste.
9. Employees who handle biohazardous waste as part of their work responsibilities shall be trained in the proper management of biohazardous waste before these duties commence and annually thereafter. Training may be provided by the supervisor or by EH&S, upon request. Training records should be maintained by Supervision for a period of 3 years.
10. Only transporters registered with the Florida Department of Health shall be used to transport biomedical waste. Presently MWaste Medical Waste Technologies of Naples, Florida has been contracted to provide these services for the university.
1. Storage of biomedical waste at the generating facility shall not exceed 30 days. The 30-day period shall commence when the first non-sharps item of biomedical waste is placed into a red bag or sharps container, or when a sharps container storing only sharps is sealed.
2. Indoor storage areas shall have restricted access and be designated in the Unit Specific Biomedical Waste Plan. They shall be located away from pedestrian traffic (storage cannot be in hallways, restrooms, classrooms, or other readily available public areas). Storage areas shall be vermin and insect free, and shall be maintained in a sanitary condition.
3. Outdoor storage areas and containers shall also be conspicuously marked with the international biological hazard symbol, and be secured against vandalism and unauthorized entry.
4 Whitaker Hall, room 267 has been designated as the main on-site storage location. An additional outdoor storage shed has been established near the back door of Whitaker Hall. Other locations may be designated for temporary storage upon approval of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
5. All outer waste containers shall be rigid, leak resistant and puncture resistant. Reusable outer containers shall be constructed of smooth, easily cleanable materials and shall be decontaminated after each use.
6. Each plastic bag shall have Impact resistance of 165 grams and tearing resistance of 480 grams in both the parallel and perpendicular planes with respect to the length of the bag. In addition, the incidental sum concentrations of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium and cadmium shall be no greater than 100 ppm for dyes used in the coloration of the bags.
1. Persons handling packages or spills of biological waste shall wear appropriate personal protective equipment as specified in Subpart Z of
29 C.F.R.1910.1030(d)(3), which includes, but is not limited to, gloves, gowns, laboratory coats, and face shields or masks and eye protection as needed.
2. Ruptured or leaking packages of biological waste shall be repackaged prior to transport.
3. Biological waste containers will be removed for disposal only by contract personnel appropriately trained by the contractor.
1. Biomedical waste bags and sharps containers shall be labeled with the generators name and address unless treatment occurs at the generating facility. If a bag or sharps container is placed into a larger bag prior to transport, the label for the exterior bag shall comply with these labeling requirements. Inner bags and inner sharps containers are exempt. Outer containers shall be labeled with the transporter's name, address, registration number, and 24-hour telephone number prior to transport.
2. The transporter may provide labels for bags or sharps containers that are generator specific, such as bar codes or specific container numbers.
3. All packages containing biomedical waste shall be visibly identifiable with the international biological hazard symbol and one of the following phrases:"BIOMEDICAL WASTE", "BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE", "BIOHAZARD","INFECTIOUS WASTE", or "INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE". The symbol shall be red, orange, or black and the background color shall contrast with that of the symbol or comply with the requirements cited in subpart Z of 29 C.F.R.paragraph 1910.1030(g)(1)(C), Occupational Exposure to Blood borne Pathogen Standard.
1. Permits, as required under 64E-16.011 F.A.C., shall be maintained by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
1. Environmental Health & Safety will maintain the required records documenting transportation and disposal of biohazardous waste (manifests, certificates of destruction, and invoices). These records will be maintained for a minimum of 3 years.
Guide for Infectious Waste Management, National Technical Information Service Publication, P.O. Box 199130, Springfield, VA 22161
