This guidance is intended for use by those who manage and inspect solid waste generated at medical and health care facilities. It is to be used in differentiating between infectious waste and regular solid waste components of the waste stream typically generated at these facilities. Regular solid waste can be handled with the facility's trash; infectious waste (regulated medical waste) must to be managed as a special waste in accordance with the Delaware Regulations Governing Solid Waste (Chapter 11).

The following types of used material
may be managed as Regular Solid Waste:

Airways Band-Aids Betadine-soaked gauze and equipment (including tray and drapes) Blue pads Connection tubing Diapers Disposable gowns, gloves Drainage bags (emptied) Electrical cutery equipment Endotracheal tubes Feminine hygiene products Foley catheters, drainage tubing, and bags Glass IV bottles

Glass microscope slides Gloves IV tubing, intracaths, IV bags Urine containers Large bore infusers Medical vials NG tubes Oxygen masks or cannulas/catheters Sanitary pads Suction canister (emptied) Suction catheters Tracheostomy tubes Urine containers Vent tubing

The following used material is considered Infectious Waste
& must be placed in Sharps Containers:

Any discarded article that may cause puncture or cuts IV tubing with needles attached Needles

Scalpel blades Suture removal kits Syringes

 

 

 

 

The following used material is considered to be
Infectious Waste & must be "red bagged":

Anything saturated with blood or wound drainage Any containers with bulk blood or body fluids (as defined in OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard) Blood transfusion tubing/bags Central venous lines and arterial lines Chest tubes Dressings, cotton balls, and gauze saturated with blood or wound drainage

Laboratory blood tubes Pleurovac Suction canisters (bloody) Thoracentesis bottles (filled) Wound drains (i.e., Hemovac, Jackson-Pratt, etc.)

This guidance was developed in 1997 by medical professionals including pathologists, public health specialists, physicians, nurses, dentists, infectious waste haulers, landfill managers and staff of the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control. Questions? Call the Solid & HazardousWaste Management Branch at 302-739-9403.

March 1999 IWguidance.doc

 

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