Table of Contents
3.0) Safe Disposal of Hazardous Biological Waste
3.1) Introduction
The applicable portions of Section 1.0 shall be followed by all personnel
in the handling of biohazard waste. The conditions and requirements of
this Section 3.0 are in addition to applicable portions of Section 1.0.
All materials which meet the definition of a biohazard waste shall be
collected, processed and disposed in accordance with the following procedures
which have been developed to comply with applicable federal and state regulations.
The disposal of biohazard waste is regulated in the State of Kansas by
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. State of Kansas regulations
may be found in K.A.R. 28-29-27.
The generator (lab, researcher, unit) is responsible for ensuring that
all biohazard waste is disposed of in a manner which minimizes the risk
to health, safety, or the environment. Kansas regulations do not allow
for the disposal of biohazard waste through normal trash dumpsters, unless
it has been processed to render it a non-biohazard.
Non-compliance with state regulations may cause the Kansas Department
of Health & Environment to perform an inspection, prepare a written
notice of violation, and assess potential monetary fines for violations.
It also could result in an order to cease operation until non-compliance
issues have been addressed, as well as other mandated safety accomplishments
by KDHE.
Individual units (labs) generating biohazard waste are responsible for
their actions (or in-actions) and will be held accountable by the University.
Contact the KU-EHS if you need assistance in determining whether your
materials are considered to be biohazard waste, or have any other concerns.
3.2) Definitions
Important note: "contamination" and "contaminated" used in this chapter
is restricted to potential contamination with biohazards. If the contamination
also includes hazardous chemicals and/or radioactive materials, it is a
"mixed" waste or contamination. The EHS office must be contacted for assistance
before "mixed" contamination or waste is created or processed.
Biohazard - any biological material (i.e. plants, animals, microorganisms,
or their by-products) that may present a potential risk to the health and
well being of humans, animals or the environment.
Biohazard Decontamination - The use of physical or chemical means
to remove, inactivate or destroy pathogens on a surface or item to the
point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious particles
and the item or surface is rendered safe, (no longer biohazardous) for
handling, use, or disposal.
Biohazard Waste - Any biohazard to be disposed of (liquid, semi-liquid,
or solid waste) which may contain potentially infectious agents that could
cause disease or injury to humans or animals should they come in contact
with the waste. This includes: medical waste; contaminated items that would,
if compressed, release blood or other potentially infectious materials
in a liquid or semi-liquid state; items that are caked with dried blood
or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing
these materials during handling; contaminated sharps; pathological, microbiological,
laboratory and any other wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious
materials. {EXCEPTIONS: Any biological material which exhibits radioactivity
or is mixed with chemicals shall be handled in accordance with applicable
Radiation Procedures or Hazardous Waste Procedures.}
BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS - pathogenic microorganisms that are present
in blood (human or animal) and that can cause disease in humans or animals.
CONTAMINATED - For the purpose of this section 3.0, means the
presence or reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially
infectious materials on an item or surface. This does not include chemical
or radioactive contamination.
CONTAMINATED SHARPS - any contaminated (biohazard) object that
can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to: needles, scalpels,
broken glass, broken capillary tubes, and any other objects capable of
skin penetration which may be contaminated.
OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS - any biological fluids;
carcasses; unfixed biological tissues or organs; cell, tissue, or organ
cultures, mediums or solutions; containing infectious agents capable of
causing disease or injury to humans, animals, or plants should they come
in contact with it.
PATHOGEN - any microorganism capable of causing disease.
3.3) Sources of Infectious Wastes
3.3.1) Operations that involve processing and/or analysis of specimens
for identification, diagnosis, separation, or purification of cells or
substances from human or animal blood and body fluids (which may or do
contain infectious agents).
3.3.2) In vitro or in vivo methods for the propagation of pathogenic
microorganisms/infectious agents.
3.3.3) Operations involving any handling of infected animal carcasses.
3.3.4) Production of biological products in which pathogenic microorganisms/infectious
agents are used.
3.4) Two Major Principles Governing the Management
of Infectious Wastes
3.4.1) Inactivation, at the earliest stages possible, of all infectious
agents in the waste.
3.4.2) Total containment of the waste until inactivation has been accomplished
and verified.
3.5) Inactivation of Infectious Waste
3.5.1) Establishment of Inactivation/Decontamination
Procedures
The Supervisor shall:
3.5.2) Decontamination/Inactivation of Infectious
Waste
Users shall:
3.5.2.1) Follow the unit specific procedures for the decontamination/inactivation
of biohazard waste including carcasses with infectious agents. See 3.4
for examples of types of inactivation protocols.
3.6) Disposal of Biohazard Waste
3.6.1) Establishment of Unit Specific Disposal
Procedures
Supervisors shall:
3.6.1.1) Establish unit specific Standard Operating Procedures for
the disposal of biohazard waste as specified in this chapter.
3.6.1.2) Establish Standard Operating Procedures for the proper disposal
of carcasses which may contain infectious agents and animal bedding materials
in consultation with EHS and the Director of Animal Care.
Note: Any infectious waste/carcasses that must be inactivated by incineration
require Standard Operating Procedures for the transport of the waste to
the incinerator in a safe manner and for the precautions that shall be
taken in operating the incinerator.
3.6.2) Required Disposal Procedures
Users shall:
3.6.2.1) Process biohazard waste according to the unit specific Standard
Operating Procedures.
3.6.2.2) Label containers with inactivated waste (no longer a biohazard)
with a wide strip of masking tape or other readily visible label bearing
the words, "sterilized" or "decontaminated".
3.6.2.3) Personally take containers of inactivated or treated waste
(no longer a biohazard) to the dumpster and SHALL NOT ask
housekeeping or maintenance personnel to do so.
3.6.2.4) Not dispose of viable or untreated suspensions of infectious
waste in the sewer.
3.6.2.5) (May) release inactivated/treated waste liquids (no longer
a biohazard) into the sanitary sewer system if the liquid would otherwise
be suitable for disposal via the sewer system. (No other prohibited materials
in the liquid and the material is in a physical state appropriate for release
in the sewer.) Plenty of water should be used to provide proper flushing
and the sink drain should be decontaminated with appropriate chemical sterilizing
solution (see 3.4 below) on a periodic basis specified in the laboratory-specific
procedures.
3.6.2.6) Not use external waste treatment facilities or deliver infectious
waste to commercial haulers until written approval for the proposed procedures
has been granted by EHS. Note: This constitutes shipment.
3.7) Examples of Accepted Sterilization Methods
3.7.1) Sterilization by autoclave
3.7.1.1) Several units and laboratories on campus have autoclaves.
It is up to the biohazard waste generator to make arrangements for using
autoclaves on campus.
3.7.2) Sterilization by chemical treatment
3.7.2.1) Exposure of the biohazard material to a chemical sanitizer
by rinsing or immersing in one of the following chemical solutions for
a minimum of 15 minutes:
a) Hypochlorite Solution (Bleach) - 500 ppm available chlorine (10%Clorox).
b) Phenolic Solution - 500 ppm active agent.
c) Iodophor Solution - 100 ppm available iodine.
d) Quaternary Ammonium Solution - 400 ppm active ammonium agent.
3.7.3) Sterilization/Destruction by Incineration
3.7.3.1) Animal Care is capable of incinerating certain biohazard waste.
Contact them (864-5587) for additional information. It is the responsibility
of the unit to make such arrangements.
3.7.4) Pulverization/Decontamination
3.7.4.1) There is special equipment on the market which is capable
of grinding or pulverizing and chemically sterilizing contaminated sharps
and biohazard waste at the same time. Contact KU EHS for more information.
Note: These examples do not exclude other methods and these methods
must be tested to be adequate.
