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TITLE 25HEALTH 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

(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

Cont'd...

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