Medical Waste Management
Overview
RIT generates medical waste at various locations across campus. Like hazardous waste, medical waste can not been disposed in the general trash and must be managed in accordance with New York State Department of Health requirements.
Medical waste is defined as, "Regulated medical waste shall mean any of the following waste which is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in production and testing of biologicals:
- Cultures and Stocks - culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures that have come into contact with cultures and stocks; and biologicals.
- Human Pathological Wastes - including: tissue; organs; body parts, excluding teeth and contiguous structures of bone and gum; body fluids removed during surgery, autopsy or other medical procedures; specimens of body fluids and their containers; and discarded materials saturated with body fluids other than urine. Human pathological waste shall not include urine or fecal material submitted for purposes other than diagnosis of infectious diseases.
- Human Blood and Blood Products - containers with free-flowing blood; discarded blood products; and materials saturated with flowing blood (except feminine hygiene products).
- Sharps - include but not be limited to discarded unused sharps and sharps used in animal or human patient care, medical research, or clinical or pharmaceutical laboratories, hypodermic, intravenous, or other medical needles, hypodermic or intravenous syringes to which a needle or other sharp is still attached, Pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, or blood vials. This waste shall include, but not be limited to, other types of broken or unbroken glass (including slides and cover slips) in contact with infectious agents.
- Animal Waste - discarded materials including carcasses, body parts, body fluids, blood, or bedding originating from animals known to be contaminated with infectious agents."
Applicable Regulation
Management Requirements
Regulated medical waste shall be separated from other waste as soon as practicable at the point of generation prior to storage, treatment or disposal.
Containment of regulated medical waste for handling, storage, and treatment shall be accomplished with a primary container for protection from the elements and limiting exposure to employees and the public. The RIT EH&S Department will supply you with a red bag labeled with the universal biohazard symbol which will be the primary container for you medical waste, as well as a cardboard box for secondary containment. While storing medical waste in your area, it must be ensured that it is located away from pedestrian traffic, be vermin and insect free, and shall be maintained in a sanitary condition.
Containers for discarded sharps shall be rigid, leakproof, puncture-resistant and closable. These sharps containers must not be filled beyond the fill line indicated on the container.
Please contact the EH&S Department at (585) 475-2043 if you are generating medical waste and would like to set up a storage location, or if you need medical waste supplies.
If you have medical waste that is ready to be shipped offsite for disposal, please contact RIT’s Shipping and Receiving Department at (585) 475-6771 to schedule a pick-up. Prior to shipping the waste for off-site treatment, the EH&S Department will ensure that the medical waste containers are labeled with RIT’s name and address.
If you have any questions regarding medical waste management, please contact the RIT Environmental Health and Safety Department at (585) 475-2040. You can also visit the New York State Department of Health web site at http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/phforum/nycrr10.htm for more detailed information.
