Pennsylvania Medical Waste Disposal
Pennsylvania is known as “the keystone state” primarily because so many key historical American events happened here. For example, the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania also boasts many beautiful landscapes and mountains. Visit Hershey Park for a one of a kind family experience designed for all ages.The State of Pennsylvania Definition of Medical Waste:
Infectious waste is municipal and residual waste which is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, immunization or autopsy of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, in the preparation of human or animal remains for interment or cremation, or in the production or testing of biologicals, and which falls under one or more of the following categories:
- Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including the following: cultures from medical and pathological laboratories; cultures and stocks of infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories; wastes from the production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines except for residue in emptied containers; and culture dishes, assemblies and devices used to conduct diagnostic tests or to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures.
- Pathological wastes. Human pathological wastes, including tissues, organs and body parts and body fluids that are removed during surgery, autopsy, other medical procedures or laboratory procedures. The term does not include hair, nails or extracted teeth.
- Human blood and body fluid waste.
- Liquid waste human blood.
- Blood products.
- Items saturated or dripping with human blood.
- Items that were saturated or dripping with human blood that are now caked with dried human blood, including serum, plasma and other blood components, which were used or intended for use in patient care, specimen testing or the development of pharmaceuticals.
- Intravenous bags that have been used for blood transfusions.
- Items, including dialysate, that have been in contact with the blood of patients undergoing hemodialysis at hospitals or independent treatment centers.
- Items saturated or dripping with body fluids or caked with dried body fluids from persons during surgery, autopsy, other medical procedures or laboratory procedures.
- Specimens of blood products or body fluids, and their containers.
- Animal wastes. Contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, blood, blood products, secretions, excretions and bedding of animals that were known to have been exposed to zoonotic infectious agents or nonzoonotic human pathogens during research (including research in veterinary schools and hospitals), production of biologicals or testing of pharmaceuticals.
- Isolation wastes. Biological wastes and waste contaminated with blood, excretion, exudates or secretions from:
- Humans who are isolated to protect others from highly virulent diseases.
- Isolated animals known or suspected to be infected with highly virulent diseases.
- Used sharps. Sharps that have been in contact with infectious agents or that have been used in animal or human patient care or treatment, at medical, research or industrial laboratories.