Medical waste - New Jersey

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.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection enforces requirements for the management, transportation, and disposal of regulated medical waste (7 NJAC 26-3A). The regulations cover:

• 3A.1 Applicability;
• 3A.6 Definition of regulated medical waste;
• 3A.7 Mixtures of solid waste and regulated medical waste;
• 3A.8 Registration and fees for generators and owners/operators of transporters, collection facilities, transfer stations, intermediate handlers, and destination facilities;
• 3A.9 Training;
• 3A.10 Segregation requirements;
• 3A.11 Packaging requirements;
• 3A.12 Storage of regulated medical waste prior to transport, treatment, destruction, or disposal;
• 3A.13 Decontamination standards for reusable containers;
• 3A.14 Labeling requirements;
• 3A.15 Marking (identification) requirements;
• 3A.16 General requirements for regulated medical waste generators, transporters, collection facilities, intermediate handlers, and destination facilities;
• 3A.17 Exemptions;
• 3A.18 Solid waste facility acceptance of regulated medical waste;
• 3A.19–.26 Generator-specific requirements;
• 3A.27–.37 Transporter-specific requirements;
• 3A.38 Temporary authorization to operate a regulated medical waste incinerator;
• 3A.39–.44 Collection facilities and intermediate handler and destination requirements;
• 3A.45–.46 Rail transporter requirements;
• 3A.47 Alternative or innovative technology authorization;
• 3A.48 Requirements for generators using out-of-state facilities disposing or regulated medical waste from New Jersey; and
• 3A.49 Letter of authorization requirements.

Additionally, body art and ear-piercing facilities must meet specific waste management requirements (8 NJAC 27-3.4).

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
• New Jersey Administrative Code Subchapter 26-3A
• New Jersey Administrative Code Subchapter 8:27-3.4