Massachusetts Medical Waste Regulations

Medical waste includes all materials generated by health care facilities, dental offices, veterinary clinics and research facilities that contain blood, tissue, cultures, stocks, swabs and sharps. There are rules for the proper storage, labeling and disposal of these potentially harmful materials so the risk to the public is reduced. There are several state and federal institutions responsible for the regulation of medical waste.

The procedures for the disposal of medical waste in Massachusetts are managed by both the state’s Department of Public Health and Department of Environmental Protection. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also imposes its own rules on the handling of medical and infectious waste. Twenty-six US states, including Massachusetts, are entirely covered by this federal program which sets rules for management of sharps and containers holding medical and infectious waste as well as the labeling of waste bags and containers. Additionally, OSHA sets guidelines for training employees in the proper handling and disposal of medical waste.

Massachusetts, and Boston in particular, is home to many hospitals, healthcare facilities, and medical laboratories that produce medical and infectious waste in their treatment and research. Boston and state of Massachusett must follow medical waste regulations properly. For example, sharps, which include things like surgical blades, scalpels and syringes, have disposal requirements that include incineration or grinding, and placement in a sanitary landfill approved by the Massachusetts EPA. If the materials are to be disposed out out-of-state, they must meet the approval of that state’s regulatory agencies. The goal of these agencies is to ensure the elimination of infectious materials than may be present in the blood and tissue present on the sharp after a medical procedure.

In addition to sharps, any materials that have been saturated with blood, as well as cultures and stocks of infectious agents, are required to be rendered noninfectious onsite and disposed of in EPA approved landfills.

 

Categorised in: Boston

This post was written by Dev