Biomedical Waste Disposal Guideline

The Environmental Protection Act (EPA), administered by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), is intended to provide for the protection and conservation of the natural environment. Biomedical waste is one of the many types of wastes regulated through the EPA and the General – Waste Management Regulation (Regulation 347) to ensure that proper handling procedures are used to dispose of wastes only at approved disposal facilities. Humber must comply with all regulatory requirements.

Any questions with respect to the handling and disposal of biomedical waste should be directed to Occupational Health & Safety Services.

Objective

The objective of this guideline is to ensure that there is a mechanism in place for the disposal of biomedical waste generated at Humber in a manner that achieves compliance with regulatory requirements.

Applicable Legislation / Guidelines:

Environmental Protection Act, R. S. O. 1990, as amended
The General – Waste Management Regulation, Regulation 347, as amended
Guideline C-4: The Management of Biomedical Waste in Ontario (Ontario Ministry of the Environment)
Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (TDG) and Regulations

Scope

This guideline applies to all Humber locations where biomedical waste is produced.

Definitions

Biomedical Waste

Refers to discarded biological material that may be generated from teaching, clinical, research or other operations. At Humber, examples of where biomedical wastes are generated include Humber’s Health Centres and the Funeral Services Program.

Biomedical waste includes but is not limited to:

Human anatomical waste: waste consisting of human tissues, organs or other body parts, other than teeth, hair or nails
Human blood waste: wastes consisting of liquid or semi-liquid human blood or blood products; items saturated with liquid or semi-liquid human blood or blood products; body fluids visibly containing blood; body fluids removed in the course of surgery or treatment, other than urine or feces, unless visibly containing human blood
Sharps waste: means blades, needles, syringes, laboratory glass or other materials capable of causing punctures or cuts and which have come into contact with human blood waste, animal blood waste or other human or animal bodily fluids
Waste that has come into contact with human blood waste that is infected or suspected of being infected with any infectious substance
Microbiology laboratory waste: examples include: human or animal cultures, stocks or specimens of micro-organisms, live or attenuated vaccines and laboratory material that has come into contact with these

Pathological Waste

Under Regulation 347, pathological waste includes but is not limited to:

Any part of the human body, including tissues and bodily fluids, but excluding fluids, extracted teeth, hair, nail clippings and the like, that are not infectious
Any part of the carcass of an animal infected with a communicable disease or suspected by a licensed veterinary practitioner to be infected with a communicable disease
Non-anatomical waste infected with communicable disease
A mixture of a waste referred to above and any other waste or material

For the purpose of this guideline, the term biomedical waste will be used as the general term to describe both biomedical and pathological waste outlined above.

General Guidelines

Segregation:

Biomedical waste must be segregated from all other types of waste. For example, it should not be mixed with chemical waste or general garbage.

Containment and Labelling:

The containers used for biomedical waste must be appropriate for the type of waste being stored (e.g. sharps vs non-sharps waste). The containers must also be properly labelled in keeping with MOE and TDG legislative requirements. To ensure compliance, all containers and packaging materials should be ordered from Humber’s biomedical waste disposal contractor.

Handling and Transportation within Humber:

Biomedical waste should be handled as little as possible. Schools and departments should not transport biomedical waste within the College unless absolutely necessary. In most cases, arrangements can be made with Humber’s biomedical waste disposal contractor to have the waste picked up directly from their location.

Storage:

Biomedical waste must be stored separately from all other materials and must be stored in a secure environment at all times.

Disposal:

All biomedical waste must be disposed of through a waste disposal company that has valid Certificates of Approval issued by the Ministry of the Environment to handle, transport and receive this specific type of waste.

At present, the School of Health Sciences makes its own arrangements for regular biomedical waste pick-ups for the Funeral Services Program. Occupational Health & Safety Services coordinates the disposal of biomedical wastes from Humber’s Health Centres on an as needed basis.

All other biomedical waste disposal must be coordinated through Occupational Health & Safety Services.

Individual departments that generate biomedical waste must keep their own records of the type and quantity of waste produced.

Occupational Health & Safety Services will maintain a central file of all hazardous waste manifests (“Movement Document / Manifest”) and act as the point of contact with the Ministry of the Environment.