Virginia Administrative Code › Title 9 - ENVIRONMENT › Agency 20 - VIRGINIA WASTE MANAGEMENT BOARD › Chapter 121 - REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS › Part III - Standards for Management of All Regulated Medical Waste › Section 9VAC20-121-150 - Transportation of regulated medical waste

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. The
				  requirements of this section apply to the transportation of regulated medical
				  waste including by intermediate transporters and generators who transport their
				  own waste offsite.
B. All
				  transporters of regulated medical waste must comply with the general handling
				  requirements in
				  9VAC20-121-100.
C. Regulated medical waste shall be
				  transported in accordance with the applicable requirements for shipping papers,
				  packaging, labeling, marking and vehicle placarding in accordance with the U.S.
				  Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations,
				  49 CFR Parts
				  171 through
				  180. No person shall transport or
				  receive for transport any regulated medical waste that is not packaged and
				  labeled fully in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation
				  Hazardous Materials Regulations. Reusable carts or containers used to transport
				  regulated medical waste shall meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of
				  Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations and must be sealed, puncture
				  resistant, and leak proof.
D.
				  Transportation of regulated medical waste shall maintain the packaging in an
				  upright and stable configuration to minimize the potential for spills. The
				  integrity of the containers must not be compromised by the stacking
				  arrangement.
E. All vehicles and
				  equipment used in the transportation of regulated medical waste must have
				  access control that limits access to those persons specifically designated to
				  manage regulated medical waste, and the cargo carrying body must be secured
				  except when loading and unloading.
F. Surfaces of vehicles and equipment used to
				  transport regulated medical waste must be clean and impermeable to liquids if
				  those areas are involved with the management of the waste. Carpets and floor
				  coverings with cracks or gaps shall not be used. Vehicles used to transport
				  regulated medical waste shall be clean and maintained in an orderly condition,
				  free of standing liquid and debris, in those areas involved with the management
				  of the waste.
G. Storage,
				  transport, and transfer to, from, and between vehicles and equipment shall be
				  under a cover or packaged in a container that protects the waste from the
				  elements and over a floor or bermed pavement that will contain leaks and spills
				  of liquid from the waste. All effluent, wash water, and other runoff shall
				  discharge directly to or through a holding tank to an approved sanitary sewer
				  system. A cover, floor, or pavement is not required if the activity is
				  transient in nature, such as in the case of spill cleanup or collection of
				  waste packages from professional offices for transport.
H. All vehicles transporting regulated
				  medical waste must carry a spill containment and cleanup kit in the vehicle as
				  specified in
				  9VAC20-121-140 B, whenever
				  regulated medical wastes are conveyed. Following a spill of regulated medical
				  waste or its discovery, the procedures specified in
				  9VAC20-121-140 C shall be
				  implemented.
I. Any vehicle parked
				  24 hours or more during transport will be considered a regulated medical waste
				  transfer station subject to the requirements of Part IV (9VAC20-121-200 et seq.) of this
				  chapter. Unless exempt under
				  9VAC20-121-300 E, no storage during
				  transport will be allowed without a permit issued in accordance with the
				  procedures in Part V (9VAC20-121-300 et
				  seq.) of this chapter.
J. All
				  vehicles and equipment used to transport regulated medical waste must be
				  thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before being used for any other purpose and
				  prior to any transfer of ownership. Disinfection shall include using an
				  EPA-registered hospital grade disinfectant effective against mycobacteria in
				  accordance with manufacturer's label instructions, unless it can be
				  demonstrated that an alternate EPA-registered disinfectant is protective of
				  human health and the environment and is appropriate for the type of regulated
				  medical waste managed and surfaces being disinfected. Any areas of vehicles or
				  equipment that are visibly contaminated, or that become contaminated as a
				  result of a spill, must be immediately decontaminated in accordance with
				  9VAC20-121-140.
K. Transport of regulated medical waste by
				  the United States Postal Services that fully complies with
				  39 CFR
				  111 shall be considered to be transportation
				  in compliance with this chapter if:
1. The
				  generator maintains a complete and legible copy of the manifest or mail
				  disposal service shipping record for a period of three years. Disposer's
				  certification and other tracking items must be completed and shown on the
				  copy;
2. The addressee is a
				  facility permitted by all the appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth or the
				  host state; and
3. No package shall
				  be more than 35 pounds by weight.