SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5083

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

  Environmental Quality & Water Resources, February 23, 1999

Title:  An act relating to biomedical waste treatment and disposal.

Brief Description:  Requiring a study of treatment and disposal methods of biomedical waste.

Sponsors:  Senator Swecker.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Environmental Quality & Water Resources:  2/16/99, 2/23/99 [DPS-WM].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & WATER RESOURCES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5083 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators Fraser, Chair; Eide, Vice Chair; Morton, Honeyford, Jacobsen, McAuliffe and Swecker.

Staff:  Richard Ramsey (786-7412)

Background:  The biomedical waste portion of the solid waste stream is not well quantified and documented.  Disposal options for generators of biomedical waste include direct disposal to landfills, treatment or incineration at the site of generation, and treatment or incineration off site.  Biomedical waste may be transported across state and international borders.  Widely varying methods of handling biomedical waste pose a wide range of risks to workers and surrounding communities.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Within two years each commercial facility that treats biomedical waste under a solid waste permit must develop a hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plan.  The plan must be updated every two years and new operations must complete a plan prior to beginning operations.  A completed HACCP plan is reviewed by the local health department in consultation with the Departments of Ecology, Health and Labor and Industries.  These agencies may propose revisions to a HACCP plan if the biomedical waste treatment facility makes significant changes in its operations, the source of waste changes, or a disease of concern emerges at the facility.

The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Ecology and local health jurisdictions, is required to evaluate biomedical waste treatment technologies and may consider the guidelines developed by the State and Territorial Association on Alternative Treatment Technologies.  Such a review is required of firms seeking approval from a local health department to operate a biomedical waste treatment facility.

The University of Washington Graduate School of Public Affairs studies the volumes of biomedical waste handled in Washington and the risks posed by different handling and treatment technologies.  A report to the Legislature is due December 1, 2001.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The provisions of SB 5080 (HACCP plans) and SB 5081 (review of alternative treatment technologies) are incorporated into the substitute.  It requires the University of Washington (UW) to consult with the Departments of Health, Ecology, and the state Solid Waste Advisory Committee in the design and conduct of the study.  UW is also required to report specifically to these entities.  The appropriation of $100,000 for the study is deleted.  The substitute limits application of hazard analysis at critical control point (HACCP) plans to commercial biomedical waste treatment facilities and makes local health jurisdictions the lead in reviewing HACCP plans.  Agencies reviewing technology are authorized to consider the state and territorial association of alternative treatment technologies (STAATT) guidelines in order to avoid a delegation of statutory authority and exempts operations already using an alternative treatment technology from this review.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  Expand participation in the study to include Ecology's Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Department of Health.

Testified:  John Paul Jones, Washington Refuse and Recycling Association (pro with concerns).