Alabama Guide To Medical Waste Disposal
If you are the owner, operator, or employee of a healthcare facility in Alabama, it is your obligation to be informed of biohazardous waste disposal techniques and to ensure that medical waste generated by your facility is properly segregated. It makes no difference if you work in a dentist’s office, a pharmacy, a research lab, or a hospital. The requirements apply to everyone from management to housekeepers and groundskeepers, not only administration departments.
The Importance of Proper Medical Waste Disposal
A single employee’s inadvertent or incorrect handling and disposal of medical waste can cost you tens of thousands of dollars each day, up to $70,000 per incident/violation, per day.
That’s why Go Green Solutions, LLC has taken the time to compile basic overviews of medical waste rules for each state. Of course, we can’t cover everything, but we can establish the basis and stress the significance of understanding and adhering to federal and state standards in order to avoid the fines and penalties that come with noncompliance.
Taking a “cradle-to-grave” strategy to healthcare waste management is the duty of the waste generator. You are responsible for medical waste until it is properly and legally disposed of, even after it has left your facility. Even if you’ve hired a medical waste removal business to handle it, this is true.
Inside your four walls, make sure that healthcare waste rules are followed. It’s also crucial to verify that the medical waste transport company you engaged to carry your medical waste to incineration or landfills is adhering to the rules. It is your obligation to determine where your medical waste will be disposed of. It’s not merely a question of morality. It’s a legal requirement.
Overview of Guidelines for Alabama
Medical waste rules and regulations in Alabama are governed by the state’s Administrative Code (335-17-1 through 335-17-8). The medical waste program administrative codes are designed to define minimal criteria for healthcare waste management in storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of medical waste, according to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Land Division. Additional requirements can be found in the Alabama Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management section of the website (1975 code of Alabama).
Those working in Alabama’s healthcare institutions who are unfamiliar with this administrative code should pay specific attention to section 335-17-1-.04, titled “Penalty for Violations.” It expressly says that infractions are prosecuted not only by the state of Alabama, but also by “other appropriate penalties” imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, particularly those that violate the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.
A variety of provisions are included in these regulations, as well as detailed information for:
- Generators of Medical Waste (335-17-2-.01)
- Medical waste collection (335-17-3)
- Storage of untreated and treated medical waste (335-17-4-.01 and.02)
- Medical waste transportation (untreated and treated – 335-17-5-.01 and.02)
- Medical waste treatment – treatment options (335-17-6-.01)
- Medical waste disposal (335-17-7-.01 and .02)
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has detailed and precise documentation on trash remediation initiatives. This authority adheres to federal and state regulations. The state of Alabama’s land division is in charge of solid and hazardous waste disposal as well as site contamination cleanup. Basics for hazardous and solid waste disposal are two of the main curricula available here.
Other rules based on these programs, such as hazardous waste found in Division 14 of the ADEM administration codes 22-30-1 through 22-30-24, are also applicable if you look around. The most recent updates to this division’s codes were made in the spring of 2018.
These rules include broad information, definitions, and specifics related to hazardous waste identification and listing. These rules also apply to hazardous waste generators in terms of manifest and transportation regulations, as well as recording and reporting procedures. The waste-generating facility, as well as the owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, must follow these rules.
Making Sense of The Rules
Go Green Solutions, LLC understands that being familiar with state regulations, particularly those issued by several agencies and administrations, can be time-consuming, if not perplexing. Alabama’s definitions and terminology section in this regard – only for this one portion of administration codes (under Division 14) – is more than 40 pages long, and the total document is more than 1,000 pages large!
We recognize that the language and structure of these rules can lead to ambiguity, confusion, and, in some cases, outright annoyance. Take, for example, rule 335-14-2-.03. Hazardous waste characteristics. This rule’s section (b) states:
“Hazardous waste which is identified by a characteristic in 335-14-2-.03 is assigned every EPA Hazardous Waste Number that is applicable as set forth in 335-14-2-.03. This number must be used in complying with the notification requirements of section 3010 of the RCRA and all applicable record-keeping and reporting requirements under 335-14-3 through 335-14-6, 335-14-8 and 335-14-9.”
You must refer to each rule to ensure that you are following it correctly, and that is only one brief paragraph. We understand how busy you are, and we understand the difficulties of reading, let alone memorizing, hundreds of pages of federal, state, and county regulations that apply to medical waste generators.
In addition to federal restrictions, Alabama has its own medical waste management requirements. Medical waste generators, medical waste transporters, solid waste storage and treatment on-site or off-site, and disposal facilities are all subject to these criteria. Storage, packing, labeling, transportation, and appropriate medical waste disposal are all required of each entity.
We also understand that the rules are always changing. When it comes to healthcare waste management, new rules or changes might muddy the waters by the time you become familiar with one set of guidelines.
We’re familiar with current rules regarding healthcare waste segregation and the importance of waste stream segregation. We keep up with EPA, DEA, and other government rules. We take the time to provide overviews of statewide regulations because we believe that knowledge and compliance are critical.
Compliance is Important
Noncompliance with healthcare waste segregation or unmanaged hazardous waste disposal can cost a facility of any type and size tens of thousands of dollars per violation, per day, in fines and penalties. Allowing this to happen to you is not a good idea.
Allow us to assist you and your institution in navigating the apparently endless requirements that apply in Alabama, as well as provide cost-effective waste segregation and healthcare waste solutions. What person wouldn’t desire that? Go Green Solutions, LLC is the company to call.
Contact Go Green Solutions, LLC today to learn more about how we can assist your facility keep on top of ever-changing norms and laws. Alternatively, visit our Alabama Service Page to learn more about our operations and service capabilities.