As with
regulated medical waste, chemical waste (referred to as hazardous waste) must also be tracked from generation to final disposal.
Defined as "a viable microorganism, or its toxin, which causes or may cause human disease," the DOT listed a group of these agents under the Code of Federal Regulations and ordered that any waste that contained any of the listed agents be classified as "
regulated medical waste" (RMW).
Often hospital employees throw regular waste together with the
regulated medical waste, often referred to as red bag waste.
World Health Organization also proposed a plan under title "10 Steps to Implement a
Regulated Medical Waste Reduction".
Practice Greenhealth recommends hospitals limit biohazardous waste, known as
regulated medical waste, to less than 10 percent of waste production and suggests facilities maintain at least a 90 percent recycling rate for other waste types.
Wonder: And not only do they produce 20 to 30 percent of a hospitals total waste volume, much of that trash from operating rooms is disposed of as
regulated medical waste, which costs 10 or 15 times as much in disposal fees as regular waste.
On average, PFC winners recycle 24% of their waste and generate 8%
Regulated Medical Waste (RMW).
Kennedy, vice president of facility development for the company's North America division, has said Daniels Sharpsmart is a worldwide leader in managing and processing
regulated medical waste.
The final rule revises "transportation requirements for infectious substances, including
regulated medical waste, to: adopt defining criteria and packaging requirements consistent with international standards; revise the current broad exceptions for diagnostic specimens and biological products; and authorize bulk packaging options for
regulated medical waste consistent with requirements in international standards and DOT exemptions".
It makes no difference whether the blood is still in liquid form or has dried--if the refuse contains blood it is considered to be "
regulated medical waste."