State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency STREET ADDRESS: MAILING ADDRESS: 1800 WaterMark Drive Columbus, OH 43215-l 099 TELE: (614) 644-3020 FAX: (614) 644-2329 P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43216-l 049 INFECTIOUS WASTE REGULATIONS SUMMARY GENERATORS OF INFECTIOUS WASTE Small Generators: (generate less than 50 lbs. IW each calendar month) All infectious waste (IW), except untreated specimen cultures or cultures of infectious agents, may be disposed of, untreated, as solid waste. (i.e., normal trash). Specimen cultures and cultures of infectious agents must either be treated on site by an approved infectious waste treatment method or taken by a registered transporter to a licensed treatment facility. Must keep a record of the amount of infectious waste generated each calendar month. This record is called a monthly infectious waste generation log (MIWGlog). Place all sharps into a sharps container, which has the word sharps on it. If the container is disposed of with normal trash, the container must be labelled with the international biohazard symbol. Untreated liquid IW containing blood and/or body fluids may be poured down a sanitary sewer system. This liquid IW must be quantified and entered into the MIWGlog. Please note: Untreated cultures of infectious agents may NOT be disposed down a sanitary sewer system. IW mixed with hazardous or radioactive waste must follow hazardous or radioactive waste handling and disposal regulations. Must register as a large generator of infectious waste if 50 pounds of infectious waste is generated in any one calendar month. A large generator registration application form may be obtained by contacting the Infectious Waste Unit at (614) 644-2621. OPTION: Small generators may take their infectious vvaste. other than cultures. to a hospital at which they have staff privileges. The hospital may treat the waste without being required to obtain a permit or a license. Effective 05195 - Replaces 1394 EPA 1613 (rev. l/95) @ Pmted on Recycled Paper George V. Voinovich, Governor Donald R. Schregardus, Director
Page 2 Large Generators: (generate 50 lbs. or more of infectious waste/month) Must register with the Ohio EPA Infectious waste generated may not go into the solid waste stream untreated. Large generators must either treat their own waste on-site or have it transported by a registered transporter to a licensed treatment facility. Shipments of untreated infectious waste must be accompanied by a treatment shipping paper. Shipments of treated infectious waste must be disposed at a licensed solid waste disposal facility and be accompanied by a disposal shipping paper. Untreated liquid IW containing blood and or body fluids may be poured down a sanitary sewer system. Please note: Untreated cultures of infectious agents may NOT be disposed down a sanitary sewer system. A spill containment and clean-up procedure must be developed. IW spills larger than 1 sq. ft. must be recorded into a log. TRANSPORTERS OF INFECTIOUS WASTE Register the motor vehicle with the Ohio EPA and receive a vehicle specific decal. Must use treatment shipping paper system. Cargo compartment must be fully enclosed. Cargo compartment of vehicle must be labelled with placards of the international biohazard symbol. Ihe placards must be placed on each side and the rear of the cargo compartment and at all access points. Infectious waste must be refrigerated if left in the cargo compartment for more than 36 hours after pickup from the generator. Infectious waste must be the only type of waste in the shipment. Hazardous. solid. or radioactive waste may not be transported with infectious w aste. Infectious waste must be delivered to the treatment facility within 10 consecutive days. An IW spill report must be filed, with the Ohio EPA, for spills outside the cargo compartment of the vehicle. Etkctwe 05195 Replaces 12194
Page 3 INFECTIOUS WASTE TREATMENT FACILITIES Large generators of infectious waste who treat the infectious wastes that they generate are infectious waste treatment facilities but, are exempt from permitting and licensing requirements. However, these facilities are required to comply with all treatment facility standards. Approved treatment methods are as follows: 1. 2. 3. Incineration: Autoclaving: Chemical: 1200 F primary chamber 1600 F secondary chamber 12 1 C for a minimum of 60 minutes at a minimum of 15 pounds of pressure. FOR CULTURES ONLY, submerge for 20 minutes in 15% chlorine solution Must comply with all comprehensive operational and. quality control requirements. Required to submit a contingency plan to the Ohio EPA that allows for the management of IW in the event that the facility must shut down for any length of time or in the event of an unforeseeable occurrence. Report spills of infectious waste and follow specific guidelines for the clean-up of spills. SHIPPING PAPER SYSTEM Treatment shipping papers must accompany untreated infectious waste to treatment facility. A four part form (copy for transporter, treatment facility, and two copies for generator - one at pickup and one returned by treatment facility after treatment). Disposal shipping paper must accompany treated infectious waste to licensed solid waste disposal facility (i.e., landfill) for disposal. PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS Sharps containers must be sturdy, puncture resistant, leak resistant, and have tight-fitting covers. Biohazard bags must be red or any other color that has a 5 inch international biohazard symbol. All bags must meet standards for puncture resistance and seam strength. If untreated waste is leaving a large generator s premise it must either be placed into a second biohazard bag like the first one, or be placed into a container. This container can be either disposable or reusable. Effective 05195 - Replaces 12/94
Page 4 STORAGE REQUIREMENTS Generators, Transporters and Treatment Facilities Infectious waste must be stored in a manner which maintains the integrity of the packaging. Infectious waste must be kept in a nonputrescent state. Clearly mark all storage areas. Infectious waste must be stored in a manner such that the IW does not become a food source or breeding place for insects or animals. Outside storage areas must be locked. All Generators May not store IW for more than 35 days. in-use sharps containers are not considered storage. Treatment Facilities May not store IW for more than 14 days. May not store more than seven times the maximum daily throughput treatment capacity. REGZSTRA TZON REOUZREMENTS Generators who produce more than 50 pounds of infectious waste in any one month must register with the Ohio EPA. Transporters of infectious wastes produced by. a large infectious waste generator or a generator who appears on a large infectious waste generator registration certificate must register Lx-it11 the Ohio EPA. PERMZT AND LICENSING REOUZREMENTS Generators of infectious waste who treat only their own infectious waste are exempt from obtaining a permit-to-install from the Ohio EPA s Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. This includes: hospitals that also treat infectious waste that is generated by small generators who have staff privileges at that hospital, hospitals that treat infectious waste generated Effective OS!95 Redaces 12194
Page 5 in patient care by an emergency medical services organization, and hospitals that treat infectious waste generated by an individual for their own care or treatment. Generators and hospitals as specified are exempt from obtaining an annual operating license from the local board of health. Any infectious waste treatment facility, except as described above, that treats other s infectious waste is subject to permitting and licensing requirements. For further information regarding the Ohio EPA Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management s infectious waste regulations, please contact any of the following: 1. A registered sanitarian in your local health department. Currently 95 of the 150 local health districts have an approved program with the Ohio EPA and perform compliance monitoring and enforcement of the Ohio EPA s regulations. The phone number for your local health department can be obtained from your local phone directory. 2. An inspector in the Ohio EPA District Office - Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management. Phone numbers and addresses for the District Offices are listed on the attachment to this guidance document. 3. An infectious waste specialist in the Ohio EPA central office who can be reached by telephone at 614-644-2621 or write to: Ohio EPA - DSIWM; Infectious Waste Specialist; P.O. Box 1049; Columbus, OH 43216-1049. To obtain a copy of the current infectious waste regulations, please send a check or money order in the amount of $5.80 payable to Treasurer - State of Ohio and a short note indicating you are requesting the infectious waste regulations to: OHIO EPA FISCAL ADMINISTRATION ATTN: VICKIE P.O. BOX 1049 COLUMBUS, OH 432 16-1049 Efkctiie 05195 -Replaces 12194