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Main Health Care Waste Categories—Treatment and Disposal
Main Health Care Waste Categories—Treatment and Disposal
| Main Waste Category |
Subcategory |
Notes |
| Solid Waste |
MSW—municipal solid waste |
Trash, garbage |
| C&D* |
MSW, if managed as MSW |
| Construction & Demolition (C&D) |
New construction |
Large volumes of materials, preference for recycling |
| Standard (day-to-day) |
Standard (day-to-day) |
| Recycling |
Cardboard |
|
| Paper, white and mixed |
|
| Confidential patient records |
HIPAA programs typically recycle paper |
| Newspaper and magazines |
|
| Boxboard |
Tissue boxes, packaging |
| Plastic, #1 PET |
|
| Plastic, #2 HDPE |
|
| Plastic, #4 shrink wrap |
|
| Plastic, #5 polypropylene |
|
| Plastic, #6 PS |
|
| Glass: clear, brown, green |
|
| Glass: medical grade |
|
| Glass: ceramics, windows |
|
| Steel cans |
|
| Aluminum cans |
|
| Mixed metals |
|
| Pallets |
|
| Wood |
|
| Blue Wrap |
|
| Transparencies |
|
| C&D debris |
|
| Compost |
Food waste |
|
| Compostables (non-food) |
|
| Landscape composting |
Usually a separate program from food waste compost |
| Materials for Reuse/Donation |
Linen/textiles |
|
| Furniture |
|
| Medical equipment |
|
| Medical supplies |
|
| Food donation |
|
| Ice packs/coolers |
|
| Suction canisters |
|
| SUDs |
|
| Pillows/mattresses |
|
| Foam peanuts |
|
| Sharps containers |
|
| Ink jet cartridges |
|
| Printer ribbons |
|
| Toner cartridges |
|
| Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) |
General infectious |
Waste that can be autoclaved |
| Pathological material |
Most states require incineration |
| Sharps |
|
| Anatomical material |
Body parts |
| Trace chemo* |
Often managed like RMW, but specifically pharma |
| Pharmaceuticals |
Trace chemo* |
|
| Bulk chemo |
Considered RCRA hazardous waste |
| Pharmaceuticals - RCRA* |
RCRA pharmaceuticals are EPA hazardous chemicals. |
| Pharma - non-hazardous |
|
| Hazardous Chemical Waste |
D001-Alcohol |
|
| D001-Xylene |
|
| D002-Corrosive |
|
| D003-Reactive |
|
| D009-Mercury |
|
| D004-43 Toxic |
|
| D-Characteristic |
|
| F-Listed |
|
| K-Listed |
|
| P-Listed |
|
| P-Listed |
|
| U-Listed |
|
| Pharmaceuticals - RCRA*' |
|
| Bulk chemo |
|
| Universal Waste/Recycled Hazardous Waste |
Computers/electronics |
|
| Fluorescent lamps * |
|
| X-ray film-silver |
|
| Oil (cooking) |
|
| Oil (motor) |
|
| Alcohol recycling |
|
| Xylene recycling |
|
| Formalin recycling |
|
| Paint recycling |
|
| Batteries |
|
| Special Wastes |
Radioactive wastes |
Most radioactive waste is "cooled" on-site |
| Mixed wastes |
|