S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-105.E

Current through Register Vol. 48, 12, December 27, 2024

Section 61-105.E - Definition of Infectious Waste

(1) An infectious waste is any used material which is: generated in the health care community in the diagnosis, treatment, immunization, or care of human beings; generated in embalming, autopsy, or necropsy; generated in research pertaining to the production of biologicals which have been exposed to human pathogens; generated in research using human pathogens; and which is not excluded in two (2) below and which is listed in the categories below:

(a) Sharps.

Any discarded article that may cause puncture or cuts, including but not limited to: needles, syringes, Pasteur pipettes, lancets, broken glass or other broken materials, and scalpel blades.

(b) Microbiologicals.

Specimens, cultures, and stocks of human pathogenic agents, including but not limited to: waste which has been exposed to human pathogens in the production of biologicals; discarded live and attenuated vaccines; and discarded culture dishes/devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix microbiological cultures.

(c) Blood and Blood Products.

All waste unabsorbed human blood, or blood products, or absorbed blood when the absorbent is supersaturated, including but not limited to: serum, plasma and other components of blood, and visibly bloody body fluids such as suctioned fluids, excretions, and secretions.

(d) Pathological Waste.

All tissues, organs, limbs, products of conception, and other body parts removed from the whole body, excluding tissues which have been preserved with formaldehyde or other approved preserving agents, and the body fluids which may be infectious due to bloodborne pathogens. These body fluids are: cerebrospinal fluids, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal/cervical secretions.

(e) Contaminated Animal Waste.

Animal carcasses, body parts and bedding when the animal has been intentionally exposed to human pathogens in research or the production of biologicals.

(f) Isolation Waste.

All waste generated from communicable disease isolation of the Biosafety Level 4 agents, highly communicable diseases, pursuant to the 'Guidelines for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals', published by the Centers For Disease Control.

(g) Other Waste.

Any other material designated by written generator policy as infectious, or any other material designated by a generator as infectious by placing the material into a container labeled infectious as outlined in Section J. Any solid waste which is mixed with infectious waste becomes designated as infectious and must be so managed unless expressly excluded in 2 (c) below.

(h) Infectious Waste Residues Resulting from Discharges.

Any residue or contaminated soil, water, or other debris resulting from the cleanup of a spill of any infectious waste.

(2) The following are excluded from the definition of infectious waste:

(a) Hazardous waste which is to be managed pursuant to the Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, R.61-79, as amended, et seq.

(b) Radioactive material which is managed pursuant to the Department Regulation Regulation 61-63, Radioactive Material (Title A).

(c) Mixed waste containing regulated quantities of both RCRA hazardous waste and source, special nuclear, or byproduct material subject to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, are to be managed pursuant to all applicable regulations.

(d) Infectious wastes generated in a private residence except when determined by the Commissioner to be an imminent or substantial hazard to public health or the environment.

(e) Etiologic agents or specimens being transported for purposes other than disposal to a laboratory consistent with shipping and handling requirements of the U. S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and all other applicable requirements.

(f) Human corpses, remains, products of conception, and anatomical parts that are intended to be interred, cremated, or donated for medical research. Teeth which are returned to a patient.

(g) Infectious waste samples transported offsite by the EPA or the Department for possible enforcement actions or transportation of materials from other governmental response actions.

(3) The Department will determine how individual waste fits into the definitions and/or categories.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-105.E