What does OSHA mean by the term “regulated waste”?
A36. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard uses the term, “regulated waste,” to refer to the following categories of waste which require special handling at a minimum; (1) liquid or semi-liquid blood or OPIM; (2) items contaminated with blood or OPIM and which would release these substances in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed; (3) items that are caked with dried blood or OPIM and are capable of releasing these materials during handling; (4) contaminated sharps; and (5) pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or OPIM.
