118275
. (a) To containerize or store medical waste, at the point of
generation and while collected in that room, a person shall do all
of the following:
(1) Medical waste, as defined in Section 117690, shall be
contained separately from other waste at the point of origin in the
producing facility. Sharps containers may be placed in biohazard bags
or in containers with biohazard bags.
(2) Biohazardous waste, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision
(b) of Section 117690, shall be placed in a biohazard bag and
labeled in compliance with Section 117630.
(3) Sharps waste, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b)
of Section 117690, including sharps and pharmaceutical waste
containerized pursuant to paragraph (7), shall be contained in a
United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved sharps
container that meets USFDA labeling requirements and is handled
pursuant to Section 118285.
(4) Trace chemotherapy waste, as defined in paragraph (5) of
subdivision (b) of Section 117690, shall be segregated for storage,
and, when placed in a secondary container, that container shall be
labeled with the words "Chemotherapy Waste," "CHEMO," or other label
approved by the department on the lid and sides, so as to be visible
from any lateral direction, to ensure treatment of the biohazardous
waste pursuant to Section 118222. Sharps waste that is contaminated
through contact with, or having previously contained,
chemotherapeutic agents, shall be placed in sharps containers labeled
in accordance with the industry standard with the words
"Chemotherapy Waste," "CHEMO," or other label approved by the
department, and shall be segregated to ensure treatment of the sharps
waste pursuant to Section 118222.
(5) Pathology waste, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision
(b) of Section 117690, shall be segregated for storage and, when
placed in a secondary container, that container shall be labeled with
the words "Pathology Waste," "PATH," or other label approved by the
department on the lid and sides, so as to be visible from any lateral
direction, to ensure treatment of the waste pursuant to Section
118222.
(6) Pharmaceutical waste, as defined in paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b) of Section 117690, shall be segregated for storage in
accordance with the facility's medical waste management plan. When
this waste is prepared for shipment offsite for treatment, it shall
be properly containerized for shipment in compliance with United
States Department of Transportation and the United States Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements.
(A) Pharmaceutical wastes classified by the DEA as "controlled
substances" shall be disposed of in compliance with DEA requirements.
(B) Nonradioactive pharmaceutical wastes that are not subject to
the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (Public
Law 94-580), as amended, and that are regulated as medical waste are
placed in a container or secondary container labeled with the words
"HIGH HEAT" or "INCINERATION ONLY," or with another label approved by
the department, on the lid and sides, so as to be visible from any
lateral direction, to ensure treatment of the biohazardous waste
pursuant to Section 118222.
(7) A person may consolidate into a common container, which may be
reusable, sharps waste, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision
(b) of Section 117690, and pharmaceutical wastes, as defined in
paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 117690, provided that
both of the following apply:
(A) The consolidated waste is treated by incineration or
alternative treatment technologies approved to treat that waste
pursuant to paragraph (1) or (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 118215
prior to disposal. That alternative treatment shall render the waste
unrecoverable and nonhazardous.
(B) The container meets the requirements of Section 118285. The
container shall be labeled with the biohazardous waste symbol and the
words "HIGH HEAT" or "INCINERATION ONLY," or with another label
approved by the department, on the lid and sides, so as to be visible
from any lateral direction, to ensure treatment of the waste
pursuant to this subdivision.
(b) To containerize medical waste being held for shipment offsite
for treatment, the waste shall be labeled, as outlined in subdivision
(a), on the lid and sides of the container.
(c) When medical waste is containerized pursuant to subdivisions
(a) and (b) there is no requirement to label the containers with the
date that the waste started to accumulate.