Types of Medical Waste in Dermatology:
- Sharps Waste: Needles, syringes, and lancets used for injections, biopsies, or other treatments.
- Biohazardous Waste: Blood-soaked gauze, wound dressings, PPE, or other materials contaminated with bodily fluids.
- Pathological Waste: Skin samples or other tissues from biopsies or excisions.
- Pharmaceutical Waste: Expired or unused medications, especially those requiring RCRA (hazardous waste) classification.
Pickup Schedule:
- Small Quantity Generators (SQG):Practices producing less than 200 pounds of medical waste per month can schedule pickups less frequently, such as monthly or quarterly.
- Large Quantity Generators (LQG):Practices producing more than 200 pounds per month need more frequent pickups, such as weekly or bi-weekly.
- Pathological Waste: Requires disposal more frequently (e.g., within 24-48 hours) if not refrigerated.
On-Site Waste Management:
- Sharps Containers: Use FDA-approved containers for sharps disposal.
- Refrigeration: Store pathological waste at or below 32°F if disposal cannot occur within the specified timelines.
Segregation:
- Separate biohazardous waste from other waste streams like regular trash or recycling.
Recordkeeping:
- Maintain tracking documents for medical waste pickups by licensed haulers.
- Retain records for 3 years for regulatory inspection.
Local Regulations:
- Dermatology practices should check with their county environmental health department for additional requirements, as stricter rules may apply for biohazardous or pathological waste.
Licensed Haulers:
- Licensed medical waste haulers (e.g., MET-Bio, Stericycle, Daniels Health) must be used for regular disposal.
- Self-hauling is permissible under specific conditions with a Limited Quantity Hauling Exemption (LQHE).
Compliance with OSHA and DOT:
- Dermatology practices must follow federal and state safety regulations for handling, transporting, and disposing of medical waste.
