2401-S.E AAS 3/3/94
ESHB 2401 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Ecology & Parks
ADOPTED AS AMENDED 3/3/94
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the improper disposal and labeling of sharps waste from residences poses a potential health risk and perceived threat to the waste generators, public, and workers in the waste and recycling industry. The legislature further finds that a uniform method for handling sharps waste generated at residences will reduce confusion and injuries, and enhance public and waste worker confidence.
It is the purpose and intent of this act that residential generated sharps waste be contained in easily identified containers and separated from the regular solid waste stream to ensure worker safety and promote proper disposal of these wastes in a manner that is environmentally safe and economically sound.
Sec. 2. RCW 70.95K.010 and 1992 c 14 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
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.
(6) "Residential sharps waste" has the same meaning as "sharps waste" in subsection (1) of this section except that the sharps waste is generated and prepared for disposal at a residence, apartment, dwelling, or other noncommercial habitat.
(7) "Sharps waste container" means a leak-proof, rigid, puncture-resistant red container that is taped closed or tightly lidded to prevent the loss of the residential sharps waste.
(8) "Mail programs" means those programs that provide sharps users with a multiple barrier protection kit for the placement of a sharps container and subsequent mailing of the wastes to an approved disposal facility.
(9) "Pharmacy return programs" means those programs where sharps containers are returned by the user to designated return sites located at a pharmacy to be transported by a biomedical or solid waste collection company approved by the utilities and transportation commission.
(10) "Drop-off programs" means those program sites designated by the solid waste planning jurisdiction where sharps users may dispose of their sharps containers.
(11) "Source separation" has the same meaning as in RCW 70.95.030.
(12) "Unprotected sharps" means residential sharps waste that are not disposed of in a sharps waste container.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 70.95K RCW to read as follows:
(1) A person shall not intentionally place unprotected sharps or a sharps waste container into: (a) Recycling containers provided by a city, county, or solid waste collection company, or any other recycling collection site unless that site is specifically designated by a local health department as a drop-off site for sharps waste containers; or (b) cans, carts, drop boxes, or other containers in which refuse, trash, or solid waste has been placed for collection if a source separated collection service is provided for residential sharps waste. (2) Local health departments shall enforce this section, primarily through an educational approach regarding proper disposal of residential sharps. On the first and second violation, the health department shall provide a warning to the person that includes information on proper disposal of residential sharps. A subsequent violation shall be a class 3 infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW.
(3) It is not a violation of this section to place a sharps waste container into a household refuse receptacle if the utilities and transportation commission determines that such placement is necessary to reduce the potential for theft of the sharps waste container.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 70.95K RCW to read as follows:
(1) A public or private provider of solid waste collection service may provide a program to collect source separated residential sharps waste containers in conjunction with regular collection services.
(2) A company collecting source separated residential sharps waste containers shall notify the public, in writing, on the availability of this service. Notice shall occur at least forty-five days prior to the provision of this service and shall include the following information: (a) How to properly dispose of residential sharps waste; (b) how to obtain sharps waste containers; (c) the cost of the program; (d) options to home collection of sharps waste; and (e) the legal requirements of residential sharps waste disposal.
(3) A company under the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission may provide the service authorized under subsection (1) of this section only under tariff.
The commission may require companies collecting sharps waste containers to implement practices that will protect the containers from theft.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 70.95 RCW to read as follows:
(1) A solid waste planning jurisdiction may designate sharps waste container drop-off sites.
(2) A pharmacy return program shall not be considered a solid waste handling facility and shall not be required to obtain a solid waste permit. A pharmacy return program is required to register, at no cost, with the department. To facilitate designation of sharps waste drop-off sites, the department shall share the name and location of registered pharmacy return programs with jurisdictional health departments and local solid waste management officials.
(3) A public or private provider of solid waste collection service may provide a program to collect source separated residential sharps waste containers as provided in chapter 70.95K RCW.
(4) For the purpose of this section, "sharps waste", "sharps waste container", and "pharmacy return program" shall have the same meanings as provided in RCW 70.95K.010.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Section 3 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1995."
ESHB 2401 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Ecology & Parks
ADOPTED 3/3/94
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "waste;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 70.95K.010; adding new sections to chapter 70.95K RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.95 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date."
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