|
THE
NEW JERSEY REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES FOR THE PROPER AND SAFE TRACKING, ON-SITE CONTROL,
COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF MEDICAL WASTES BY USING A SPECIAL TRACKING
FORM TOGETHER WITH SPECIFIC PACKAGING, MARKING, LABELING, REPORTING AND
OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
|
REPORT
ALL INCIDENTS CONCERNING RELEASES OF RMW BY CALLING
THE NJDEP 24-HOUR EMERGENCY HOTLINE AT 1-877-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337) |
BACKGROUND
|
A comprehensive, cradle-to-grave, regulated
medical waste (RMW) management program was developed by the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) under New Jersey's Comprehensive Regulated
Medical Waste Management Act (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-48 et seq.), with the assistance
of the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Procedures for the
proper processing, transportation and ultimate disposal of RMW are listed
in the New Jersey Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 26, Subchapter 3A,
(N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A).Guidelines for general procedures in other medical situations
may be found in the DHSS Hospital Licensure Manual, Section 306, and in
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Instruction (CPL 2-2.44). The Regulated Medical Waste Fact sheets are a publication of the Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste (DSHW), Bureau of Resource Recovery and Technical Programs. These fact sheets are designed only as an information guide, to be read in conjunction with the New Jersey RMW regulations. All persons are responsible for compliance with the RMW Regulations at N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A et seq. |
COPIES OF REGULATIONS & FORMS |
Copies of the New Jersey Comprehensive Regulated Medical Waste Management Act (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-48.1 et seq.), the New Jersey medical waste regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:26- 3A) are available from the publishing firm West Group, 610 Opperman Drive, PO Box 64526, St. Paul, MN 55164-0526, Telephone - 1-800-808-9378, Fax - 1-800-562-2329. The RMW regulations are found at pages 26-121 through 26-152. As an alternative to purchasing the regulations from the publishing firm, access to an unofficial version of the regulations is made available from the Department's web site at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/resource/rules. New Jersey RMW Tracking Forms, reporting forms and technical assistance with regulatory interpretations may be obtained from the NJDEP, DSHW, Bureau of Resource Recovery and Technical Programs, PO Box 414, Trenton, NJ 08625-0414 or by calling (609) 984-6620 during normal business hours. |
WHAT IS REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE? (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.6) |
RMW is defined as any solid waste,
generated in the diagnosis, treatment (e.g., provision of medical services),
or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto,
or in the production or testing of biologicals, that is not excluded or
exempted under N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.6(b) and that is listed or meets any waste
characterization criteria described in the table at N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.6(a).
Refer to the rule for excluded wastes (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.6(b)).
"Treated RMW" means RMW that has been treated to substantially reduce or eliminate its potential for causing disease, but has not yet been destroyed (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.5). "Destroyed RMW" means RMW that is no longer generally recognizable as RMW because all components of the waste have been ruined, torn apart, or mutilated to produce unrecognizable and unusable pieces smaller than three-quarters of an inch, except that all sharps must be smaller than one-half inch. It does not mean compaction or encapsulation except through: 1. Processes such as thermal treatment or melting, during which treatment
and destruction occur; |
WHO IS A MEDICAL WASTE GENERATOR? (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.5)
|
"Generator" means any
person, by site, whose act or process produces RMW as defined in N.J.A.C.
7:26-3A.6, or whose act first causes a RMW to become subject to regulation.
Noncontiguous properties owned or operated by the same person are separate sites and in the case where more than one person (for example, doctors with separate medical practices) are located in the same building and office, each individual business entity is a separate generator for the purposes of this subchapter. However, households utilizing home self-care are not generators. |
USE OF THE |
The New Jersey medical waste regulations require all medical waste generators, transporters, intermediate handlers and destination facilities to track RMW, regardless of the amount generated. Each generator shipping RMW off site is responsible for initiating the tracking form. Each person in the chain of custody (handling process) of RMW assumes the responsibility for getting the waste to the proper destination facility for treatment, destruction or disposal. Portions of the tracking form must be completed by the RMW generators, transporters, intermediate handlers and by destination or disposal facilities (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.19, 3A.31 and 3A.41). In addition, RMW generated in New Jersey but transported for disposal to another state, which prints and requires use of its own tracking form, must also be reported on that state's tracking form (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.19(a)). |
NEW JERSEY REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE TRACKING FORM
|
|
TRACKING FORM (N.J.A.C. 7: 26- 3A.19, 3A.31 and 3A.41)
|
Each New Jersey RMW Tracking Form
contains 6 copies to be distributed as follows:
Copy 6 - Generator Copy - retained by generator |
COMPLETION OF TRACKING FORM |
Generator - Boxes 1 - 15 The generator of the RMW completes Boxes 1 through 15. Transporter - Box 16 The transporter completes Box 16 verifying receipt of the RMW, which is described in Boxes 11, 12, and 13. The generator then removes and retains copy 6 - Generator Copy. The tracking form copies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are retained by the transporter and accompany the RMW to the destination facility. Transporter 2/Intermediate Handler - Box 17 - 21 If the RMW is given to a second transporter or intermediate handler,
Boxes 17 through 21 must be completed Box 20, the certification, must be signed and the new tracking form number
must be placed in Box 21. In this instance, the intermediate handler becomes
a "new" generator (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.41). A transporter may choose
to consolidate individual shipments of RMW weighing less than 220 pounds
to a single tracking form (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.33). The transporter now becomes
the "new" generator and transporter on the new tracking form.
When the "new" generator/transporter receives the signed and
completed consolidated tracking form, Copy 1, the "new" generator/transporter
must: b. Return a copy of each tracking form to the original generators within
15 days of receipt of the c. Maintain a transporter consolidation log on Department forms indicating
all shipments that have i. Name, address, identification number of the original generator; Destination Facility - Boxes 22 - 23 Upon delivery of the RMW to the destination facility, the facility operator verifies the data contained in Boxes 11, 12, and 13 and completes Box 22. Any discrepancies * between the information in Boxes 11, 12 and 13 and the shipment received must be noted in Box 23. The destination facility must mail Copy 1 to the generator. The generator, transporter and facility must maintain all copies for a period of three years. * Discrepancies may include, but are not limited to: variation in the number or weight of the shipment, variation of the waste by categories (i.e. treated or untreated designation), broken, torn or leaking packaging, or a missing or incomplete tracking form. Should there be discrepancies between the tracking form information and the actual shipment, the destination facility operator must attempt to resolve the issue with the waste generator and/or transporter by telephone. If the discrepancy is not resolved, the destination facility operator must notify the Department in writing within 15 days of receiving the waste, describing the nature of the discrepancy and the attempts made to reconcile it. This letter shall include a copy of the tracking form, or if no tracking form was received a report of the quantity of waste received, the name of the transporter and the generator. The letter shall be sent to the NJDEP, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, Bureau of Resource Recovery and Technical Programs, PO Box 414, Trenton, NJ 08625-0414. (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.40.42).
|
GENERATOR
EXCEPTION REPORT (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.22) |
If the generator does not receive
a copy of the completed tracking form with the handwritten signature of
the owner or operator of the destination facility within 35 days of the
date the waste was accepted by the initial transporter, the generator must
contact the owner or operator of the destination facility, transporter(s),
and intermediate handler(s) to determine the status of any tracked waste.
If the generator has not received a completed copy of the tracking form signed by the owner of the destination facility within 45 days of the date the waste was accepted by the initial transporter, the generator must submit an Exception Report to the NJDEP, Bureau of Solid Waste Compliance and Enforcement, PO Box 407, Trenton, NJ 08625-0407 (N.J.A.C. 7:26-3A.22). The Exception Report must be post-marked on or before the 46th day and must include: a. A legible copy of the original tracking form for which the generator
does not have confirmation of delivery; and A copy of the Exception Report shall be kept by the generator for a period
of at least three (3) years from the date of the exception report was
submitted unless the NJDEP specifically requests an additional retention
period.
|
REPORT ALL INCIDENTS CONCERNING RELEASES
OF RMW BY CALLING
|