AN ACT
Relating to biomedical waste; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; providing
an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1.
LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds and
declares that:
(1) It
is a matter of state-wide concern that biomedical waste be handled in a manner
that protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public, the environment,
and the workers who handle the waste.
(2)
Infectious disease transmission has not been identified from improperly
disposed biomedical waste, but the potential for such transmission may be
present.
(3) A
uniform, state-wide definition of biomedical waste will simplify compliance with
local regulations while preserving local control of biomedical waste
management.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2.
DEFINITIONS. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1)
"Biomedical waste" means, and is limited to, the following types of
waste:
(a)
"Animal waste" is waste animal carcasses, body parts, and bedding of
animals that are known to be infected with, or that have been inoculated with,
human pathogenic microorganisms infectious to humans.
(b)
"Biosafety level 4 disease waste" is waste contaminated with blood,
excretions, exudates, or secretions from humans or animals who are isolated to
protect others from highly communicable infectious diseases that are identified
as pathogenic organisms assigned to Biosafety level 4 by the centers for
disease control, national institute of health, biosafety in microbiological and
biomedical laboratories, current edition.
(c)
"Cultures and stocks" are wastes infectious to humans and includes
specimen cultures, cultures and stocks of etiologic agents, wastes from
production of biologicals and serums, discarded live and attenuated vaccines,
and laboratory waste that has come into contact with cultures and stocks of etiologic
agents or blood specimens. Such waste includes but is not limited to culture
dishes, blood specimen tubes, and devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix
cultures.
(d)
"Human blood and blood products" is discarded waste human blood and
blood components, and materials containing free-flowing blood and blood
products.
(e)
"Pathological waste" is waste human source biopsy materials, tissues,
and anatomical parts that emanate from surgery, obstetrical procedures, and
autopsy. "Pathological waste" does not include teeth, human corpses,
remains, and anatomical parts that are intended for interment or cremation.
(f)
"Sharps waste" is all hypodermic needles, syringes with needles
attached, IV tubing with needles attached, scalpel blades, and lancets that
have been removed from the original sterile package.
(2)
"Local government" means city, town, or county.
(3)
"Local health department" means the city, county, city-county, or
district public health department.
(4)
"Person" means an individual, firm, corporation, association,
partnership, consortium, joint venture, commercial entity, state government
agency, or local government.
(5)
"Treatment" means incineration, sterilization, or other method,
technique, or process that changes the character or composition of a biomedical
waste so as to minimize the risk of transmitting an infectious disease.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3.
STATE-WIDE DEFINITION OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE. The definition of biomedical waste
set forth in section 2 of this act shall be the sole state definition for
biomedical waste within the state, and shall preempt biomedical waste
definitions established by a local health department or local government.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4. WASTE
TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES. (1) At the request of an applicant, the department of
health, in consultation with the department of ecology and local health
departments, may evaluate the environmental and public health impacts of
biomedical waste treatment technologies. The department shall make available
the results of any evaluation to local health departments.
(2)
All direct costs associated with the evaluation shall be paid by the applicant
to the department of health or to a state or local entity designated by the
department of health.
(3)
For the purposes of this section, "applicant" means any person
representing a biomedical waste treatment technology that seeks an evaluation
under subsection (1) of this section.
(4)
The department of health may adopt rules to implement this section.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 5.
CAPTIONS. Section headings as used in this act do not constitute any part of
the law.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 6.
SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or
circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of
the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 7.
EFFECTIVE DATE. (1) Sections 2 and 3 of this act are necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of
the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take
effect immediately.
(2)
Section 4 of this act shall take effect October 1, 1992.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections
1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.
