Multiple agencies oversee the handling of COVID-19-related waste. These include the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as state and local health agencies. The volume of medical waste produced during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgency for healthcare facilities who may be overwhelmed by this issue. In addition, it underscores a new reality for non-healthcare facilities: how to safely dispose of the personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, gowns, goggles, or face shields, that they have not previously generated. It is imperative that waste management responsibilities comply with industry guidelines and agency requirements.
Compliance under COVID-19 begins with recognizing how it can alter waste streams. The most prevalent waste stream affected by COVID-19 is biohazardous waste. Biohazardous waste is a subset of medical waste, which is any waste that is contaminated with or suspected to be contaminated with biological or infectious material. Categories of biohazardous waste include: solid biohazardous waste, liquid biohazardous waste, biohazardous sharps, and pathological waste. Each category of biohazardous waste is treated differently and states may have special requirements for each. The COVID-19 crisis will also affect other medical wastes and hazardous waste generation. Facilities may see different quantities of waste, such as increased COVID-19 contaminated PPE and increased medical waste from treating more patients than usual.
As we step into the next normal, healthcare facilities must evaluate old practices across their organization. Improving waste management supports facilities’ interactions with agencies like NIOSH, OSHA, USEPA, DOT, and state and local regulatory agencies. In the next few months, we will also see more states adopting the USEPA Pharmaceutical Drug Rule. This is a new set of standards that will change how pharmaceutical drugs are managed and disposed of. This rule will place an emphasis on the use of reverse distribution and reverse logistics. All healthcare facilities in the United States will be subject to this rule by July of 2021. During the COVID-19 crisis, pharmaceutical drugs may need to be disposed of due to patient prescription non‑use or disposition of unused disinfectants.
Environmental resilience during times of unrest is critical to organizations. Agencies have the power to fine them for non-compliance. For example, an OSHA fine for a facility can range between $13,494 to $134,937 per day, per violation. The USEPA has the authority to fine a facility up to $74,552 per day, per violation. Avoiding fines not only benefits the bottom line, it keeps personnel, patients, and customers safe and protects brand reputation.
