['Waste']
['Medical Waste']
08/03/2024
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The EPA has not had regulatory authority over medical waste since the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 expired in 1991. Most states have since developed their own programs, resulting in significant differences for each state. A summary of this state’s requirements includes the following.
Alaska requires medical waste must be managed in a way that prevents the spread of disease:
- Hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, veterinarians, home health providers, and body modification shops must properly treat and dispose of all medical waste. Medical waste from these facilities must be properly treated before disposal to prevent disease transmission. State regulations allow treatment processes that involve decontamination, incineration, or an autoclave. Each facility must have an established procedure to ensure that medical waste is collected and treated before disposal. Facilities that don’t have an autoclave or incinerator should collect and ship medical waste to an appropriate treatment facility before disposal.
- Permitted municipal solid waste landfill facilities or industrial solid waste monofils may accept medical waste that’s been treated according to the manufacturer’s instructions:
- In an autoclave,
- By a decontamination process other than an autoclave, or
- In a medical waste incinerator.
- A solid waste treatment works or facility designed to treat less than 5 tons of waste daily that (a) treats medical waste and (b) isn’t contained within a hospital, medical office, laboratory, or other medical or research institution treating medical waste must obtain and operate according to a waste disposal permit issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
- Medical waste may not be beneficially used as structural fill or an ingredient in a manufactured product.
Note: Medical waste regulations for Anchorage, Alaska, are different from the state requirements.
Related information
Citations
- Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 261
- Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 262
- Federal regulation 29 CFR 1910.1030
- Federal Regulation 49 CFR Subchapter C
- Alaska Administrative Code Chapter 60
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