Wisconsin

Medical/Infectious Waste

 

Definition of Infectious Medical Waste
Managing Regulated Medical Waste
OSHA Regulations
Statutes, Regulations and Guidelines
Contacts
More Information

 

• Infectious waste means solid waste that contains pathogens with sufficient virulence and in sufficient quantity that exposure of a susceptible human or animal to the solid waste could cause the human or animal to contract an infectious disease.
• Medical waste means infectious waste and other waste that contains or may be mixed with infectious waste.

• Sharps, including contaminated sharps which are both infectious and may easily cause punctures or cuts in the skin, including but not limited to: hypodermic needles, syringes with needles attached, scalpel blades, lancets, broken glass vials, broken rigid plastic vials and laboratory slides, and unused or disinfected sharps which are being discarded, including hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, lancets and syringes with needles attached;
• Bulk blood and body fluids from humans;
• Human tissue;
• Microbiological laboratory waste; and
• Tissue, bulk blood or body fluids from an animal, which is carrying a zoonotic infectious agent.

• Items soiled but not saturated with blood or body fluids from humans included in the definition of ñbulk blood and body fluidsî;
• Items soiled with body fluids from humans not included in the definition of ñbulk blood and body fluidsî;
• Intravenous tubing after needles have been detached;
• Tissue, blood, body fluids or cultures from an animal which is not known to be carrying or experimentally infected with a zoonotic infectious agent;
• Animal manure and bedding;
• Other solid wastes, including but not limited to containers, packages, waste glass, laboratory equipment and other materials which have had no contact with blood, body fluids, clinical cultures or infectious agents. When possible, use of these items shall be reduced, and the items shall be reused or recycled; and
• Formerly infectious waste, after it has been treated according to the regulations.

• Infectious waste may not be mixed in the same bag or waste receptacle with solid waste, which is not infectious waste, unless mixing the wastes is necessary to protect the health or safety of patients, employees or other persons.
• No person may separate infectious waste from solid waste, which is not infectious waste, unless adequate measures are taken to protect waste handlers and other persons from exposure. After separation, solid waste previously mixed in the same bag or waste receptacle with infectious waste shall be managed as infectious waste.
• No person may remove solid waste or infectious waste that has been placed in a bag or waste container labeled with the biohazard symbol, or fail to manage the waste as infectious waste from the time of generation until the waste has been treated, unless the person follows waste management procedures which will protect waste handlers and other persons from exposure.
• No person may transport solid waste and infectious waste on the same cart or vehicle unless the wastes are in separate and identifiable bags or waste containers. If the wastes are transported on any roads, transporter requirements apply.

• Sharps shall be contained in rigid, punctureÆresistant labeled containers made of materials including but not limited to metal or rigid plastic, designed to prevent the loss of the contents and labeled with a visible bioÆ hazard emblem or with the visible words ñbioÆhazardî, ñsharpsî or ñinfectious wasteî.
• Infectious waste other than sharps shall be contained according to all of the following:
  • The waste shall be placed in a single plastic bag that meets or exceeds 165 grams resistance by the ASTM method D1709Æ91 and is tear resistant using method ASTM method D1922Æ89, or, if necessary, a double bag that meets the same standards, or a rigid reusable container. Copies of the testing methods are available for inspection at Department of Natural Resources, the Secretary of State, or the American Society for Testing and Materials.
  • The bag or rigid reusable container shall be securely sealed to prevent leakage or expulsion of the contents under normal handling.
  • Any bag containing infectious waste shall be placed in a rigid container, including but not limited to a corrugated cardboard container, a covered reusable container or a cart. The rigid container shall be labeled with a visible bioÆhazard emblem and the word ñbioÆhazardî. Bulk containers shall be small enough to be handled by a single person.
  • All reusable containers shall be disinfected after being emptied.
• No person may open a secured container of infectious waste which is ready for transportation until immediately before treating the waste, unless repacking is necessary to prevent spills or leakage, or the person is conducting a waste audit or training session.

• All containers shall be handled and transported to prevent the loss or spilling of the contents.
• Nuisance conditions shall be prevented from developing. Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent odors, including but not limited to refrigerating the infectious waste below 42_Fahrenheit until treated.
• All infectious waste shall be loaded and unloaded by hand or by a safe mechanical method that does not damage containers or spill their contents.
• Untreated infectious waste may not be compacted.

• Storage includes, but is not limited to the transfer of infectious waste. Infectious waste generators may temporarily accumulate infectious waste in individual containers near the place where the waste was generated, prior to moving the waste to an onÆsite infectious waste storage facility.
• No person may operate or maintain an infectious waste storage facility unless the person has obtained an operating license for storing solid waste and the storage facility meets all the requirements for handling and storing infectious waste.

• Storage facilities that are located on the property where the infectious waste is generated.
• Storage facilities which are located on the property where the infectious waste is generated and which accept infectious waste from offÆsite generators, if the total quantity of infectious waste, including items mixed with infectious waste, accepted from offÆsite is less than the quantity generated onÆsite or less than 500 pounds per month, whichever is less and if the waste is accepted on a notÆforÆprofit and costÆonly basis.
• Sharps collection stations which comply with all requirements.
• Storage facilities for infectious waste, which is also, is hazardous waste, provided that the storage facility is regulated.

• The storage area shall be kept clean and be impermeable to liquids. Carpeted areas or wooden floors may not be used in storage areas.
• The storage area designated for infectious waste may contain only infectious wastes and their containers. The storage area may be an area designated within a room.
• The storage area is in an enclosed building, container or vehicle so that the infectious waste is not exposed to weather.
• Access to the storage area shall be limited to authorized personnel.
• Nuisance conditions shall be prevented from developing.
• If the infectious waste is to be treated offÆsite, the operator of the infectious waste storage facility shall relinquish the infectious waste only to a licensed infectious waste transporter or to a person exempt from licensing.
• The containers of infectious waste shall be removed and emptied as necessary, but at least every 90 days.
• The operator of the infectious waste storage facility shall keep records of how much and where the infectious waste has been sent offÆsite. Records may consist of any of the following: copies of infectious waste manifests, invoices, logs or other written documentation of the amount of infectious waste sent offÆsite for treatment.

• Sharps and sharps containers are only accepted from infectious waste generators, each of which generates less than 50 pounds of sharps per month, including items that may be mixed with the sharps.
• The service is provided on a notÆforÆprofit and costÆonly basis.
• No more than 500 pounds of infectious waste in the sharps collection station is stored at any one time.
• All applicable requirements are complied with.
• The sharps collection station is registered with the department
• The department is immediately notified in writing if the sharps collection station moves or ceases to operate.

• No person may transport infectious waste or operate or maintain an infectious waste transportation service unless the person has obtained an infectious waste transportation license for each vehicle and complies with both the minimum transportation and operating requirements for licensed infectious waste transporters.
• Persons who meet any of the following conditions are exempt from licensing under this section, but shall meet the minimum requirements for transporting infectious waste:
  • Infectious waste is transported only on private roads on the same property where the infectious waste was generated and using vehicles owned or leased by the infectious waste generator.
  • Less than 50 pounds of infectious is transported per calendar month.
  • Persons operating vehicles owned or leased by the United States postal service and handling infectious waste sent through the mail.
  • Persons operating vehicles owned by a parcel carrier service for which infectious waste constitutes an incidental portion of the carrierÍs business, if the infectious waste is handled in accordance with all applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Persons transporting infectious waste through Wisconsin who are not stopping to collect, drop off or transfer the infectious waste, and who handle the infectious waste in accordance with all applicable state and federal regulations.
  • Persons transporting infectious waste that is also a hazardous waste, provided that the transportation is regulated.

• The infectious waste shall be contained and handled according to all applicable requirements.
• The vehicle used to transport the infectious waste shall meet all of the following requirements:
  • The portion of the vehicle where the infectious waste is contained shall be completely enclosed to prevent littering, spillage or leakage. The enclosed portion shall be leakÆresistant, if necessary, considering the type of waste and its moisture content. RollÆoff boxes or dumpsters may not be used to transport infectious waste.
  • The vehicle shall be maintained in good repair.
  • The vehicle shall be cleaned as frequently as necessary to prevent nuisances.
  • Nuisance conditions shall be prevented from developing.

• Each vehicle shall have ñWDNRî followed by the infectious waste transportation license number lettered on the driverÍs and passengerÍs doors. The letters shall be at least 2 inches high with a minimum of 1/2 inch brush stroke. The lettering shall contrast with the background so it is easy to read.
• Vehicles or containers used for the collection or transportation of infectious waste shall be durable and easy to clean.
• Each vehicle hauling infectious waste shall carry a written contingency plan for spills and accidents and shall carry tools and materials sufficient to implement the contingency plan. In case of spill or accident, the driver shall implement the contingency plan immediately after spillage occurs.
• The portion of the vehicle where the infectious waste is placed shall be cleaned and disinfected before hauling materials other than infectious waste, solid waste or supplies related to managing waste.
• The person transporting the infectious waste shall sign all manifests which accompany the infectious waste, even if the waste is exempt from manifesting, and deliver the manifests to the next person who handles the waste.
• If infectious waste is not accompanied by an infectious waste manifest, the person transporting the waste shall initiate an infectious waste manifest for that waste, unless the person transporting the waste hauls less than 50 pounds of unmanifested infectious waste per month.

• Incineration;
• Steam disinfection;
• Chemical disinfection;
• Mechanical grinding and chemical disinfection;
• Mechanical grinding and heat disinfection;
• Gas disinfection; and
• Other treatment methods and processes that render the waste nonÆinfectious and shall be appropriate with respect to all of the following: the properties of the waste being disinfected, the manufacturerÍs recommended use of the disinfectant, the cleanliness of the surface of the waste, the contact time, the physical properties of the waste, the concentration of the disinfectant and the degree of microbial contamination.

• Human tissue shall be treated by methods which render the tissue both nonÆinfectious and unrecognizable as human tissue, or incineration, where the tissue is transformed into an ash which would not be recognized as being from a human being.
• Animal tissue known to be carrying or experimentally infected with a zoonotic infectious agent shall be treated by methods which render the tissue nonÆinfectious, incineration, burial on the land on which the animal was kept, or rendering or other methods which incorporate the animal into a consumer product in accordance with all other applicable state and federal regulations. Note: For animals and animal waste used in HIV and HbV research, refer to OSHA bloodÆborne pathogen standard.
• Sharps shall be treated by a method which both renders the sharp nonÆinfectious and renders the sharp broken and not able to be reused, such as by a grinding or shredding process, or incineration.
• Bulk blood shall be treated by biological treatment in an approved or permitted municipal or industrial wastewater treatment facility (bulk blood may be transported to the wastewater treatment facility through the sewer system), methods which render the blood nonÆinfectious, or incineration.
• Body fluids and bloodÆcontaminated urine and feces shall be treated by any approved methods or by disposal in a septic system.

• Home generators of infectious waste; and
• Owners and operators of sharps collection stations.

• An infectious waste generator transporting infectious waste only on private roads on the same property where the infectious waste was generated and using vehicles owned or leased by the infectious waste generator or by one of the generators in the group.
• An infectious waste generator transporting less than 50 pounds per calendar month of untreated infectious waste away from the property where the waste was initially generated, including items which are mixed with the infectious waste.
• Infectious waste generators located on the same property who manage their infectious waste together and who, as a group, transport less than 50 pounds per calendar month of untreated infectious waste away from the property.

• The place of origin of the infectious waste, including the name, address, telephone number, and name of contact person and type of facility where the infectious waste was generated, including but not limited to: hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, sharps collection stations and other facilities.
• The route for the infectious waste, including the name, address, telephone number, license number and name of contact person for any and all persons storing, transporting or treating the infectious waste beyond the location where the infectious waste was generated.
• The destination for disposal of the treated infectious waste, including the name, address, telephone number, solid waste disposal facility license number and name of a contact person.
• The composition of the infectious waste, including the type or types of infectious waste.
• The quantity of the infectious waste, including both the number of containers and the total weight, whether known or estimated, of infectious waste including waste which is mixed with the infectious waste.
• The signature of an authorized representative of each facility or licensed transporter handling the waste from generation through treatment.

• The infectious waste generator shall retain the original infectious waste manifest, and the certification of infectious waste treatment for at least 3 years after the waste has been treated, and provide the department copies of manifests upon request. If the 3Æyear period expires during an unresolved enforcement action, the period is automatically extended until resolution of the pending enforcement action. Note: Hospitals, clinics and nursing homes should keep records for at least 5 years.
• Each licensed infectious waste transporter and each owner or operator of a storage or transfer facility, combustor, incinerator or infectious waste treatment facility which handles or disinfects infectious waste shall retain a copy of each manifest for at least 3 years.

• Reduce the amount of medical waste generated by medical facilities;
• Prevent the mixing of infectious waste with non-infectious waste;
• Promote practical alternatives to disposable items in medical facilities; and
• Maintain effective waste reduction programs.