Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 51 - PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE › Part XXVII - Management of Refuse, Infectious Waste, Medical Waste, and Potentially Infectious Biomedical Waste › Chapter 3 - Management of Infectious Waste, Medical Waste and Potentially Infectious Biomedical Waste [formerly Chapter XXVII Part 2] › Section XXVII-301 - Definitions [formerly paragraph 27:020]

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the
				  following words and terms used in this Part of the sanitary code are defined
				  for the purposes thereof as follows.
Generator
-any person or facility that
				  produces potentially infectious biomedical waste.
Health Care and Medical Facilities
-shall
				  include, but not be limited to hospitals, clinics, dialysis facilities,
				  birthing centers, emergency medical services, mental health facilities,
				  physicians' offices, outpatient surgery centers, nursing and extended care
				  facilities, podiatry offices, dental offices and clinics, veterinary medical
				  facilities, medical laboratories, home health care services, diagnostic
				  services, mortuaries, and blood and plasma collection centers and mobile
				  units.
Infectious Waste
-that portion of
				  potentially infectious biomedical waste which contains pathogens with
				  sufficient virulence and quantity that exposure to the waste by a susceptible
				  host could result in an infectious disease.
Labeling
-to pre-print, mold an impression,
				  write on or affix a sign to a package that is water resistant, legible and
				  readily visible.
Large Health Care and Medical Facility
				  Generator
-a health facility generating 25 or more kilograms (55
				  pounds) of potentially infectious biomedical waste, not including sharps, or 5
				  or more kilograms (11 pounds) of sharps per month.
Medical Waste
-that portion of potentially
				  infectious biomedical waste that is generated from the operation of medical
				  programs, offices and facilities.
Packaging
-containing of potentially
				  infectious biomedical waste in disposable or reusable containers in such a
				  manner as to prevent exposure to the waste material.
Potentially Infectious Biomedical
				  Waste
-includes medical waste, infectious waste as defined herein, and
				  as may be defined in other Louisiana law or code, and waste considered likely
				  to be infectious by virtue of what it is or how it may have been generated in
				  the context of health care or health care like activities. It includes, but is
				  not limited to the following:
a. cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated
				  biologicals, including cultures from medical and pathological laboratories,
				  from research and industrial laboratories;
b. human pathological wastes including tissue, organs, body
				  parts and fluids that are removed during surgery or autopsy;
c. human blood, human blood products, blood collection bags,
				  tubes and vials;
d. sharps used or generated in health care or laboratory
				  settings;
e. bandages, diapers, "blue pads," and other disposable
				  materials if they have covered infected wounds or have been contaminated by
				  patients isolated to protect others from the spread of infectious
				  diseases;
f. any other refuse which has been mingled with potentially
				  infectious biomedical waste.
NOTE: For purposes of these regulations, eating utensils are
				  excluded from the definition of potentially infectious biomedical waste.
NOTE: Also excluded are animal carcasses and bedding as
				  regulated under §107 A-109.D of this Part, and very small quantities of
				  uninfected human and animal surgical waste as specified in §303 E
NOTE: Once treated in accordance with the provisions of
				  §1101 of these regulations, the waste
				  shall be deemed not to be potentially infectious, and may be handled and
				  treated in accordance with those regulations governing the management of other
				  municipal and industrial waste.
Sharps
-are needles, syringes, scalpels,
				  scalpel blades, pipettes and other medical instruments capable of puncturing or
				  lacerating skin. This definition also includes glass fragments and other health
				  care and laboratory waste capable of puncturing or lacerating skin.
Small Health Care and Medical Facility
				  Generator
-a health facility generating less than 25 kilograms (55
				  pounds) of Potentially Infectious Biomedical waste, not including sharps, or
				  less than 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of sharps per month.
Small Quantity of Potentially Infectious Biomedical
				  Waste
-a single package containing less than 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of
				  potentially infectious biomedical waste not including sharps, or less than 1
				  kilogram (2.2 pounds) of sharps.
Storage
-the containment of potentially
				  infectious biomedical waste until treated or transported from the premises of a
				  generator or treatment facility while the material is still potentially
				  infectious.
Transport
-the movement of potentially
				  infectious biomedical waste from the premises of a generator or others involved
				  over more than 0.1 mile of public streets or roadways to places for storage,
				  treatment or disposal.
Transporter
-any person or firm who
				  transports large quantities of potentially infectious biomedical waste or who
				  transports any quantity of such waste generated by another. This definition
				  shall not apply to municipal waste haulers who transport such waste disposed of
				  in household waste under the provisions of §503 A
Treatment
(in the case of potentially
				  infectious biomedical wastes other than human bodies; gross anatomical parts
				  such as limbs, torsos and heads; fetal remains; and sharps)-any method,
				  technique, or process designed to change the character or composition of any
				  potentially infectious biomedical waste so as to render the waste
				  non-infectious. Treatment of human bodies, anatomical parts and fetal remains
				  shall be by cremation, burial, or other means specifically authorized by law or
				  regulation. Sharps shall be treated by incineration, encapsulation, or other
				  means by which they are rendered unrecognizable as potentially infectious
				  biomedical waste or otherwise unusable.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of
				  R.S.
				  40:4(A)(2)(b) and
				  R.S.
				  40:5.