Medical waste - Oregon

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 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Public Health Division (PHD) of the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated infectious waste.

PHD regulations include:

• 13-36A ORS 459 regulations that cover:
  • 459.386 Definitions;
  • 459.388 Restrictions on discarding, storing, or transporting infectious waste;
  • 459.390 Procedures for segregation and containment of infectious waste and exemption;
  • 459.395 Rules for treatment of infectious wastes;
  • 459.400 Exceptions; and
  • 459.405 Transport of infectious waste, certification, and records.
• 333 OAR 056 regulations that cover:
  • 056-0020 Definitions relating to infectious waste;
  • 056-0030 Infectious waste treatment;
  • 056-0040 Infectious waste storage times and temperature;
  • 056-0045 Exemptions for removal of human pathological waste, including placentas, from a healthcare facility; and
  • 056-0050 Prevention of disease transmission by blood-contaminated sharp objects.

DEQ regulations (340 OAR) cover:

• 093-0190 Pathological waste, sharps, and medical waste disposal;
• 094-0040(11) Special Waste Management Plan requirement for municipal solid waste landfills;
• 095-0020(3) Special Waste Management Plan requirement for non-municipal land disposal sites; and
• 230-0010 to 230-0395 Infectious waste incinerator regulations.

DOT regulations (740 OAR 110) cover transportation requirements.

Note that Metro regulates infectious waste disposal in the Portland metropolitan area.

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
• Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333-056
• Oregon Administrative Rules Section 340-093-0190
• Oregon Administrative Rules Section 340-094-0040(11)
• Oregon Administrative Rules Section 340-95-0020(3)
• Oregon Revised Statutes Sections 459.386 to 459.405