Medical waste - Arkansas

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.

Arkansas' medical waste regulations are located in the Arkansas Administrative Code (007 AAC 15.00-001) and the Arkansas Code Annotated (20 ACA 32 and 8 ACA 6-13). The regulations cover:

• 15.00-001 Rules pertaining to the disposal of medical waste, including:
  • Application;
  • Exemptions and home disposal;
  • Identification, segregation, packaging, labeling, storage, transport, treatment, and disposal of medical waste;
  • Requirements for transporters of commercial medical waste;
  • Requirements for commercial medical waste treatment, storage, and/or disposal (TSD) and commercial mobile treatment/disposal systems;
  • Inspections of commercial medical waste TSD facilities, commercial mobile treatment systems, and commercial transporters;
  • Closure of commercial medical waste TSD facilities; and
  • Responsibility, treatment/disposal table, and medical release/accident report.
• 6-13 Commercial medical waste incineration facility requirements, including:
  • Construction,
  • Applicability,
  • Permits, and
  • Financial assurance guarantees.
• 20-32 Disposal of commercial medical waste requirements, including:
  • On-site facilities;
  • Penalties;
  • Disposition of fees and fines;
  • Authorization to stop vehicles suspected of transporting commercial medical waste;
  • Rules;
  • License to transport, treat, or dispose;
  • Applications (general procedure);
  • Location requirements;
  • Transportation requirements;
  • Scope of authority; and
  • Violations (penalties).

Related information

• Medical waste RegSense

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
• Arkansas Administrative Code Rule 007.15.00-001
• Arkansas Code Annotated 20 ACA Chapter 32
• Arkansas Code Annotated 8 ACA Subchapter 6-13