Section 526.05. Infectious waste categories.

 

(1)  A solid waste which is included in any of the following categories is presumed to be infectious waste unless methods of testing which are generally accepted by the medical profession demonstrate that the waste is not infectious:

(a) Sharps, as follows:

1. Contaminated sharps which are both infectious and may easily cause punctures or cuts in the skin, including but not limited to: hypodermic needles, syringes with needles attached, scalpel blades, lancets, broken glass vials, broken rigid plastic vials and laboratory slides.

2. Unused or disinfected sharps which are being discarded, including hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, lancets and syringes with needles attached.

(b) Bulk blood and body fluids from humans.

(c) Human tissue.

(d) Microbiological laboratory waste.

(e) Tissue, bulk blood or body fluids from an animal which is carrying a zoonotic infectious agent.

(2)  A solid waste which is not included in the definition of infectious waste, which is not mixed with infectious waste and which does not fall under one of the categories in sub. (1) is presumed not to be an infectious waste. Solid wastes presumed not to be infectious wastes include all of the following:

(a) Items soiled but not saturated with blood or body fluids from humans included in the definition of "bulk blood and body fluids".

(b) Items soiled with body fluids from humans not included in the definition of "bulk blood and body fluids".

(c) Intravenous tubing after needles have been detached.

(d) Tissue, blood, body fluids or cultures from an animal which is not known to be carrying or experimentally infected with a zoonotic infectious agent.

(e) Animal manure and bedding.

(f) Other solid wastes, including but not limited to containers, packages, waste glass, laboratory equipment and other materials which have had no contact with blood, body fluids, clinical cultures or infectious agents. When possible, use of these items shall be reduced, and the items shall be reused or recycled.

(g) Formerly infectious waste, after it has been treated according to s. NR 526.11 .

(3)  An item which is trace chemotherapy waste and is also considered to be infectious waste either by being included in the definition of infectious waste or by falling under one of the categories in sub. (1) , is regulated only according to s. NR 526.055 . However, if that item is mixed with bulk amounts of chemotherapy waste which is a hazardous waste, the item is regulated according to chs. NR 660 to 670 .

History: Cr. Register, October, 1994, No. 466 , eff. 11-1-94; cr. (2) (g), Register, June, 1996, No. 486 , eff. 7-1-96; CR 05-020 : am. (3) Register January 2006 No. 601 , eff. 2-1-06; correction in (3) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register April 2013 No. 688 .

Note

A tooth containing mercury amalgam may be both an infectious waste and a hazardous waste. See s. NR 526.11 (2) (f) for how to manage teeth containing mercury amalgam. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1