Texas Register

TITLE 25 HEALTH SERVICES
PART 1DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
CHAPTER 1MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SUBCHAPTER KDEFINITION, TREATMENT, AND DISPOSITION OF SPECIAL WASTE FROM HEALTH CARE-RELATED FACILITIES
RULE §1.136Approved Methods of Treatment and Disposition
ISSUE 05/18/2018
ACTION Final/Adopted
Preamble Texas Admin Code Rule

(a)Introduction. The following treatment and disposition methods for special waste from health care-related facilities are approved by the department for the waste specified. Where a special waste from a health care-related facility is also subject to the sections in Chapter 289 of this title (relating to Radiation Control), the sections in Chapter 289 shall prevail over the sections in this subchapter. Disposal of special waste from health care-related facilities in sanitary landfills or otherwise is under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and is governed by its rules found in 30 TAC Chapter 326 (relating to Medical Waste Management) and Chapter 330 (relating to Municipal Solid Waste).

  (1)Animal waste. Animal waste shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal.

    (A)Carcasses of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)carcasses of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens which are not contagious may be buried on site under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Texas;

      (iv)carcasses of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens which are not contagious may be sent to a rendering plant;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (B)Body parts of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)steam disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (iii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)body parts of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens which are not contagious may be buried on site under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Texas;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (C)Bulk whole blood, serum, plasma, and/or other blood components from animals intentionally exposed to pathogens shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)steam disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (iii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)thermal inactivation followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (vi)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vii)chemical disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (viii)bulk blood, serum, plasma, and/or other blood components of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens which are not contagious may be buried on site under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Texas;

      (ix)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (x)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (xi)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (D)Bedding of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)bedding of animals intentionally exposed to pathogens which are not contagious may be buried on site under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Texas;

      (iv)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vi)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

  (2)Bulk human blood, bulk human blood products, and bulk human body fluids. Bulk human blood, blood products, and body fluids shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

    (A)discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

    (B)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

    (C)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

    (D)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

    (E)chemical disinfection followed by grinding and flushing into a sanitary sewer system;

    (F)thermal inactivation, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

    (G)thermal inactivation, followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

    (H)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

    (I)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

    (J)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

  (3)Microbiological waste. Microbiological waste shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal.

    (A)Discarded cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (B)Discarded cultures of specimens from medical, pathological, pharmaceutical, research, clinical, commercial, industrial and veterinary laboratories shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (C)Discarded live and attenuated vaccines, but excluding the empty containers thereof, shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (D)Discarded disposable culture dishes shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal.

      (i)All discarded, unused disposable culture dishes shall be disposed of in accordance with 30 TAC Chapters 326 and 330.

      (ii)Discarded, used disposable culture dishes shall be subjected to the following methods of treatment and disposal:

        (I)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (II)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (III)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (IV)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (V)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VI)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (VII)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (E)Discarded disposable devices used to transfer, inoculate or mix cultures shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

      (vii)an approved alternate treatment process followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

  (4)Pathological waste. Pathological waste shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal.

    (A)Human materials removed during surgery, labor and delivery, autopsy, embalming, or biopsy shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)body parts, other than embryonic and fetal tissue remains:

        (I)interment;

        (II)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (III)steam disinfection followed by interment;

        (IV)moist heat disinfection, provided that the grinding/shredding renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (V)chlorine disinfection/maceration, provided that the grinding/shredding renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (VI)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)tissues, other than embryonic and fetal tissue remains:

        (I)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (II)grinding and discharging to a sanitary sewer system;

        (III)interment;

        (IV)steam disinfection followed by interment;

        (V)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VI)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (VII)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)organs, other than embryonic and fetal tissue remains:

        (I)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (II)grinding and discharging to a sanitary sewer system;

        (III)interment;

        (IV)steam disinfection followed by interment;

        (V)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VI)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (VII)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iv)bulk human blood and bulk human body fluids removed during surgery, labor and delivery, autopsy, embalming, or biopsy:

        (I)discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (II)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (III)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (IV)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (V)thermal inactivation followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (VI)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VII)chemical disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (VIII)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (IX)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (X)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (B)The products of spontaneous or induced human abortion other than embryonic and fetal tissue remains, shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)blood and body fluids:

        (I)discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (II)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (III)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (IV)thermal inactivation followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (V)thermal inactivation followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (VI)chemical disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VII)chemical disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

        (VIII)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (IX)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (X)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (ii)any other tissues, including placenta, umbilical cord and gestational sac:

        (I)grinding and discharging to a sanitary sewer system;

        (II)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

        (III)steam disinfection followed by interment;

        (IV)interment;

        (V)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

        (VI)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

        (VII)an approved alternate treatment process, provided that the process renders the item as unrecognizable, followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill.

    (C)Discarded laboratory specimens of blood and/or tissues shall be subjected to one of the following methods of treatment and disposal:

      (i)grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (ii)steam disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (iii)steam disinfection followed by grinding and discharging into a sanitary sewer system;

      (iv)incineration followed by deposition of the residue in a sanitary landfill;

      (v)moist heat disinfection followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill;

      (vi)chlorine disinfection/maceration followed by deposition in a sanitary landfill; or

Cont'd...

Next Page Previous Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page