To provide standards for the management of infectious waste for MTF/DTF’s
What brought about the concern that infectious waste might potentially have adverse environmental and public health effects?
Improper disposal
Waste from patient diagnosis, treatment, or immunizations may be subdivided into what two categories?
Infectious and non-infectious waste
Exposure to infectious waste that could result in disease is more likely to occur where?
Occupational settings that generate, transport, store, treat, or dispose of potentially infectious materials
Items determined to be noninfectious waste can be treated as__________ waste, using accepted methods of collection, storage, transport, and disposal.
General Waste
State three examples of noninfectious or general waste
Used personal hygiene products such as diapers, facial tissues, and sanitary napkins
Liquid or solid waste containing pathogens in sufficient numbers and of sufficient virulence to cause infectious disease in susceptible hosts exposed to the waste.
Infectious Waste
State four examples of Infectious Waste
Sharps, Microbiological waste from cultures and stocks, Liquid, Semi-liquid blood, or body fluid, Pathological waste from human tissues and organs or animal carcasses
What is the separation of infectious waste from noninfectious waste at its point of origin?
Segregation
Describe the Biohazard Container that infectious waste is placed in
The container is lined with plastic bags of sufficient thickness, durability, puncture resistance, and burst strength to prevent rupture or leaks
How should infectious waste containers be labeled?
Labeled with the Universal Biohazard symbol and have the word “BIOHAZARD” or be red in color.
True or False: When packaging and handling Sharps containers never place the sharps container into another container such as a plastic bag or rigid box.
False
What two containers should never be used to transport infectious waste?
Chutes or Dumbwaiters
In preparation for transporting, what type of containers should be used for anatomical pathology waste?
Double-wall corrugated boxes or equivalent rigid containers that are double lined with plastic bags... for transport and incineration in an infectious waste incinerator
True or False: Blood, suctioned fluids, or other potentially infectious liquid waste may be decanted into clinical sinks (not hand washing sinks), unless this practice is prohibited by State or local regulations.
True
True or False: Semi-rigid gel when added to liquids (gelatinization) may also be used to solidify blood and other potentially infectious liquid waste in suction canisters or other containers. These materials do not have to be treated as infectious waste.
False
Explain what happens to bulk blood and other potentially infectious liquid waste which has not been solidified and cannot be safely decanted.
Place into rigid containers that are double-lined with plastic bags for transport and incineration
At what point do you utilize storage for infectious waste?
If the waste cannot be treated on-site
Storage of infectious waste without refrigeration should limited to ________ days.
7
Storage areas shall be constructed and kept clean to prevent entry of _____ & _____.
Rodents and Pests
This is achieved through destruction, such as by incineration or through inactivation by heat, chemicals, or radiation without disintegrating the cells.
Infectious waste treatment
What should be done to infectious waste before compacting or grinding?
Sterilized and rendered noninfectious
True or False: If infectious waste is transported off-site, the receiving facility shall provide written documentation of proper treatment and disposal.
True
True or False: Any new treatment techniques submitted for approval shall be acceptable to local regulating authorities, shall have scientific evidence of efficacy, and shall have successful use elsewhere for a minimum of 3 years.
False 2 years
If there are none prescribed in your area, develop a practical system to monitor the disposal of infectious waste. This system shall include what four points?
Date, Type of Waste, Amount (weight, volume, or number of containers), and Disposition
Name the methods of treatment and disposal for Microbiological Waste.
Steam Sterilization, Chemical Disinfection, and Incineration
Disposal in Sanitary Landfill
Name the methods of treatment and disposal for Pathological Waste.
Incineration and Cremation
Disposal in Sanitary Landfill and Burial
Name the methods of treatment and disposal for Bulk Blood and OPIL.
Gelatinization
Disposal in Sanitary Sewer and Landfill
Name the methods of treatment and disposal for Sharps in sharps containers.
Steam Sterilization and Incineration
Disposal in Sanitary Landfill
True or False: Chemical disinfection is most appropriate for liquids.
True
True or False: Ash remaining after incineration may go directly to the sanitary landfill, unless State or local regulations require testing the ash for characteristics of hazardous waste.
