How Is Medical Waste Disposed?
The required disposal methods for medical waste depend on the type of waste and on the nature of the facility that created it. Medical waste disposal by health care facilities and households is subject to regulation at the state level by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). In addition, all employers except state and local governments are required to dispose medical wastes according to regulations of the federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These agencies’ rules (which are summarized in more detail later) are similar. They require that “sharps” (needles and syringes, scalpel blades, etc.) should be placed in closed, leakproof containers (though these do not have to be puncture-resistant). This type of container must be labeled or color-coded as containing medical waste. Red or orange are the colors used on containers to indicate that they contain medical waste. Typically
