Thursday, Aug 21, 2014

The subject of medical waste disposal has been one of the more frequent questions from members coming into CDA’s Practice Support lately. The state Department of Public Health (DPH) has posted a new chart on dental medical waste disposal.

While the law hasn't changed, the new chart (shown below) can help dentists who are curious about the storage time for different types of medical waste.

The DPH reminds dentists that they should not place pharmaceutical waste in devices intended for red-bag and sharps waste, since it must be incinerated. For mail-back systems, ensure that separate containers are used for pharmaceutical waste. Onsite alternative treatment technology methods may or may not require registration and/or a permit.

Check with your local enforcement agency for medical waste generator registration information. The DPH serves as the local enforcement agency for approximately one-half of the counties.

CDA also has a “Medical Waste Management and Disposal Plan” available on http://www.cda.org.