Waste generated from medical facilities becomes regulated when it contains enough blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) to spread pathogens. Therefore, if there is not enough contamination with blood or OPIM, it is not a regulated medical waste. It’s important to understand the clear differences between regular trash and regulated red bag waste. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines regulated medical waste (RMW) in its Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Standard as follows:
- Liquid or semi-liquid blood or OPIM, this includes:
- Blood in blood tubes, blood or OPIM in suction canisters
- Contaminated items that would release blood or OPIM in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed, this includes:
- Blood-soaked gauze
- Items that are caked with dried blood or OPIM and are capable of releasing these materials during handling, this includes:
- Blood-soaked gauze that has dried and the blood could flake off
- Bloody gloves or other items that have not absorbed the blood
- Contaminated sharps, including:
- Needles, syringes with needles attached, scalpels, dental carpules with blood in them
- Pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or OPIM
Many facilities believe they must dispose of all items that have been “contaminated” with blood or OPIM as RMW, regardless of the amount of contamination. However, OSCHA and other state and local regulations do not require this. Items that are only contaminated with small absorbed amounts of blood or OPIM may be placed in the regular trash.
Bottom line: Contaminated ≠ Regulated
Things to consider when implementing a waste segregation program in your facility:
- Strategically place red bags in your practice away from high-traffic areas
- Place regular trash cans near or next to red bags
- Include infographics near your waste bins to educate your staff on proper segregation
- Use a lid for your red bags as an extra step before placing items in the red bag
- Use smaller red bags to discourage the inclusion of unnecessary trash