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Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:04:44 -0400
Reply-To: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject: Re: BBP Waste Issues
From: Patricia Peifer
Date: August 27, 2009 10:33:45 AM EDT (CA)
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] FW: [DCHAS-L] BBP Waste Issues
Thanks to everyone who responded to this issue. I am still trying to
work
my way through it and come up with a good resolution. Just to clarify
my
intent on the sharps, I had not intended to send the sharps to the
regular
trash but rather after autoclaving to consider them as non-infectious
sharps and put them into our normal sharps waste stream. I found out
today, however, that Stericycle offers a mail-back program for small
scale
generators of sharps which is so much cheaper and more convenient than
what
I am doing now. It sounds like a good, inexpensive way to get rid of my
sharps without worrying about violating any regulations. Although it
would
have been nice if Stericycle had alerted me to this service in the first
place.
As far as the drug product goes, I too am aware of the concern about
drug
products ending up in the water system. I always advise the chemists
here
to segregate the non-protein drugs. The drugs in question here as
biohazards, however, are very large molecules, typically proteins. The
treatment with 10% bleach denatures them and, to my knowledge, renders
them
ineffective as far a pharmacological activity goes. I don't think there
are the same concerns with putting these in the sewer as with the
smaller
molecules, although if someone has other information please say so. I
did
run these thoughts by a Biochem PhD we have on staff here and he felt
the
same. But what I could do, after disinfecting the drug with the
bleach, is
to Lab-Pack it... I think our haz. waste disposal company will take it
if
it is disinfected.
I am still researching the getting rid of my solid infectious waste
(gowns,
gloves, kim-wipes, etc.) and have gotten a lot of good advice from
people.
I would like to autoclave this red bag waste at 121 C for 60 min
printing
out and documenting the autoclave cycle record. I would also like to
use a
biological indicator of bacillus stearothermophilus with each autoclave
load ( which will be about once every 2-3 months) then rebag for
disposal
in the regular trash. Reading through the Pennsylvania regs. on
infectious
waste disposal, it seems that this would be satisfactory, although the
reg.
is so poorly written and confusing it is hard to be sure. I am trying
to
get in contact with someone at the State of PA to see if they will
verify
this, but I am starting to think I would have a better chance of getting
through on the phone to Barack Obama. I'll keep trying.
Thank you, everyone
Pat Peifer
Project Manager, Safety & Training
West Pharmaceutical Services
101 Gordon Drive
Lionville, PA 19341
Phone:(610) 594-3278
Fax: (610) 594-3005
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