Indiana Medical Waste Requirements
A look at medical waste regulations in the state of Indiana.
Indiana’s medical waste disposal regulations are managed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and regulated under both the Department of Health’s (DOH) infectious waste regulations and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) solid waste regulations. Like all states, Indiana has stringent requirements for medical waste, including segregation, containment, labeling, management, storage, treatment, and transportation.
Title 410 of The Indiana State Department of Health is a 132-page document that covers everything from immunizations down to medical waste disposal. Like all other states, Indiana cites sharps, blood and blood products, pathological waste, infectious biological cultures, to name a few as medical waste.
The document also states that all persons and facilities must ensure that infectious waste is contained in such a way that protects waste handlers and the public from contracting dangerous communicable diseases.
Indiana Medical Waste Containers must be:
- leak proof, rigid, puncture-resistant
- tightly sealed to prevent expulsion
- labeled with the biohazard symbol
- effectively treated before storage in an unsecured area
The state does not specify a minimum or maximum storage timeframe for medical waste.
Acceptable treatments for Indiana medical waste include:
- incineration
- steam sterilization
- chemical disinfection
- thermal inactivation
- irradiation
Healthcare facilities and others that deal with medical waste must also have a written medical waste disposal plan. Plans should reduce the amount of waste, ensure regulatory compliance, and strengthen infection control procedures.
Indiana is also one of 22 states operating an approved occupational safety and health program. This program is operated by the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Division.
While federal and state medical waste requirements often overlap, many states have their own unique regulations that operators must adhere to. Unsure of the medical waste regulations in your state? Contact Red Bags today.
Related Articles:
- The Four Types of Medical Waste
- Choosing the Right Sharps Containers for Your Facility
- What Happens to Medical Waste Eventually?
- Is Medical Waste Pollution a Problem in the U.S.?
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