This term can even include office paper and kitchen waste within a healthcare facility. The term “medical waste” can encompass a variety of products used in the healthcare industry, whether or not it is directly exposed to hazardous materials and substances. Make sure you invest time in choosing the right partner so you can save time, effort, and resources. Maintaining compliance with various federal and local agencies is tedious. This allows you to focus on delivering quality service to your patients and ensure that your medical waste is safely disposed of. We have the human resources and the tools to perform the job at the highest standard and maintain compliance with existing laws. We’ll be responsible for handling the disposal process for any kind of biomedical waste. That’s why we recommend working with a licensed medical waste disposal company like BioMedical Waste Solutions, LLC. Just imagine what would happen if your violation went on for weeks before being noticed by authorities! And even when the waste has left your supervision, it is your facility that will be held accountable for any violations that take place in the transportation process.įines for medical waste violations can cost a company up to $70,000 per day, per violation. One wrong step can mean serious consequences for your healthcare facility and the lives of your employees and the public. There are several regulations and governing bodies involved in the process, which can make this type of waste disposal overwhelming. To determine the laws in your state, you can use the Environmental Compliance Assistance Platform (EnvCAP) and their state locator tool. OHSA requires that you conduct annual training for your employees. Regularly train your employees to know the latest rules and laws. Therefore, they must know and be able to follow the regulations for their protection and public health. Your employees are responsible for treating, storing, handling, and transporting biomedical waste. Employee training is an essential component of a successful waste disposal procedure. Others require health care facilities to register and obtain a permit for waste.įederal and local regulations on the disposal of medical waste can impact your disposal processes in several ways. The majority of states have regulations for packaging, storage, and transportation of medical waste. Often the Department of Health is responsible for onsite management and an environmental agency takes care of transportation and disposal. Missouri and Oklahoma) the Department of Health plays a leading role or serves as a primary regulatory agency (e.g. Generally, the state EPA holds the prime responsibility for developing and regulating waste disposal practices. Unlike hazardous waste regulations, which are all based on the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) standards, the healthcare waste disposal regulations by state vary greatly. Most of the 50 states have some form of clinical waste disposal regulations in place. Therefore, healthcare facilities and organizations must be informed about relevant local laws. These regulations vary from one state to another. Therefore, the EPA and other regulating bodies require that medical waste undergo additional treatment processes to ensure it is safe for landfills.Īside from the federal laws and regulations, there are specific policies and rules for every state on the disposal of medical waste. While most of the existing laws governing healthcare waste disposal cover the final stage of disposal (when it ends up in the landfill), some regulations prevent it from entering landfills, depending on the type of waste. It is the EPA’s job to implement these regulations and to ensure that all covered entities are compliant for the benefit of the public and environmental health. The healthcare industry Is responsible for regulating medical waste materials, which can be radioactive, infectious, and biohazardous. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)Įmergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).There are existing laws that the EPA uses to implement the guidelines for biomedical waste disposal, including: Therefore, the EPA is involved in making sure that this type of waste is done correctly and safely. Improper waste disposal can have severe effects on public health and the environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency is the main regulatory body governing the disposal of medical waste for public and private facilities.
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