Report of the Council on Scientific Affairs Biohazardous Waste Management: What the Physician Needs to Know

S ources of biohazardous waste include not only large hospitals and laboratories, but also physicians’ offices, dental offices, clinics, research facilities, surgery centers, veterinary offices, funeral homes, and a growing number of settings where home health care is delivered. State and local municipality definitions and regulations on biohazardous waste vary widely. Most regulations exempt home health care settings, but include physicians’ offices. Although the infectious public health risk posed by medical waste is exceedingly low, this fact is not well understood by the general public. Physicians should develop biohazardous waste management programs that fulfill their county, state, and municipal regulations and that consider the difference between health risks to employees and risks to the general public. Physicians can considerably reduce the amount and costs of biohazardous waste disposal by proper identification and segregation of waste in a manner that meets their state’s criteria. Using products that can be recycled may reduce the amount and costs of disposal of biohazardous waste. Processing costs also may be reduced by cooperative arrangements among medical groups or health care facilities to negotiate group disposal rates with vendors. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:26-29