faq

Do I Need A Medical Waste Company?
In short, anyone that generates regulated medical waste on a continuing basis i.e. Doctors, dentists, veterinarians,
hospitals, laboratories, etc. Should use a licensed medical waste disposal company, the cost of disposing of regulated
medical waste is often an expensive service. The cost for improperly disposing of regulated medical waste and other
hazardous wastes are far greater i.e. Exposure to civil and criminal liability, lack of responsibility for the protection of life
and the environment, bad publicity etc.

What Items are considered to be Infectious Waste?
The following items are presumed to be infectious waste:

Sharps, including unused or disinfected sharps that are being discarded, such as hypodermic needles, syringes with
needles, scalpel blades, lancets, broken glass or rigid plastic vials, and laboratory slides.

Bulk blood or body fluids, including pourable or drippable amounts of blood or body fluids, or items saturated with blood
or body fluids.

Microbiological laboratory waste, such as cultures derived from clinical specimens and discarded laboratory equipment
that has contacted cultures.

Human tissue, including teeth but not hair or nails.

Tissue, bulk blood or body fluids from an animal carrying a zoonotic infectious agent such as rabies, anthrax or
tuberculosis.

What items are usually Not Considered to be Infectious Waste?

Answer: The following are presumed not to be infectious waste:

Items soiled or spotted, but not saturated, with human blood or body fluids, such as gloves, gowns, dressings,
bandages, surgical drapes and feminine hygiene products.

Items containing non-infectious body fluids, such as diapers.

Containers, packaging, waste glass, laboratory equipment or other materials that have had no contact with blood, body
fluids, clinical cultures or infectious agents.

Animal manure and bedding.

Tissue, blood or body fluids from animals not known to be carrying a zoonotic infectious agent.

Teeth that individuals take home from the dentist. (Dentists must manage teeth individuals do not want as infectious
waste.)

Sharps Containers - What Goes In? What Stays Out?

There is no black and white answer to what goes into a sharps container and what stays out. These
health care professional guidelines are based on OSHA standards and common sense.

What goes into a sharp container?

Items specifically listed in most states but not limited to include the following:

Hypodermic needles
Syringes with needles attached
Scalpels
Pasteur pipettes
Blood vials
Culture dishes
Broken glassware (e.g., specimen tubes, flasks, beakers)
Exposed dental wires
Nonabsorbent materials such as IV tubing, needleless connectors, barrel syringes without a needle, and
IV bags contaminated with visible blood

What does NOT go into a sharp container?
Package wrappers, sterile saline and water vials that have not come in contact with infectious waste
Absorbent dressings that are not saturated according to OSHA guidelines.
Nonabsorbent materials such as IV bags, and gloves that are not contaminated
Miscellaneous household trash

Note: These guidelines address sharps container usage only. Guidelines for red bag waste and
Regulated Medical waste containers available upon request

What procedures should I use for Medical Waste Storage, Handling and Transportation?
Please do not damage the box container given for use to store medical waste by rough handling. The transporters are
prohibited, by regulations, from picking up damaged containers from the generators.

Store all the sharps, needles and syringes in the sharps containers.

Do not discard sharps in the box containers. Sharps containers, after fill-up, must be placed in the box containers.

Do not throw trash in the box container. It is only for the storage of medical waste.

Chemotherapy and pathological waste (if any) must be stored in a separate container clearly labeled. Please inform your
transporter if you have chemotherapy or pathological waste to provide separate containers.

Always discard waste into the red infectious liner bag.

Please do not throw waste around the bag as the box would get soiled and subsequently damaged. Make sure the bag is
always in place.

Do not discard any radio-active waste or other chemical waste in the containers ear-marked for medical waste.

If waste are mainly liquid, please use sufficient absorbent material to absorb the liquid waste.

Are you registered with the state?
We are not required to be registered with all states. In those states that require, we are registered.

Who are you picking up now?
We pick up at hospitals, doctors, clinics, dentists, nursing homes, veterinarians, factories and many other biohazardous
waste generators.

What if we need more boxes?
We will gladly provide you with as many boxes as you will need to put all of your waste.

What if we do not have any waste?
We provide a regular service, therefore, if you have no waste you may be charged a wasted trip fee.

May we put in an empty aerosol can?

No, We cannot accept any aerosol cans. These cans may explode during the destruction process and damage
equipment. Please do not put any aerosol cans into your biohazard containers.

May we put broken glass with blood on it in the container?
All glassware, broken or not, must be placed in an approved sharps container before being placed in the biohazard
container.

Can we put any liquids into the container?
No, Please do not put liquids into the container.

Where do we put the container, we do not have a place for it?
Your container should be placed somewhere inaccessible to the general public (i.e. a closet, a boiler room, a storage
area, etc.).

Where do we get little red bags?
We offer a wide selection of biohazard supplies at very economical prices. These supplies are available for shipment.

May we place waste in a separate garbage can and then put it in the biohazard container when you arrive?
Yes, you can.

Where do we get sharps containers?
We offer a wide selection of sharps containers at very economical prices. These containers are available for shipment.

Do we have to put our name on the containers?
Only in some areas as per requirement.

How do we know what you picked up?
We will provide you with a copy of our destruction manifest, showing what and how many containers we pick up.

Does blood go in the sharps container?
No. Do not put any blood or other liquid into the containers.

Do we need stickers on our waste storage room doors?
Yes, biohazard stickers identify where you keep your waste.

Where do we put a bandage with blood on it?
Blood soaked bandages and gauze may be placed into the biohazard container.

What if the box gets wet?
Once a box becomes wet, its structural integrity is compromised. Therefore, you must re-box it into a new dry box.

Where do we put a phlebotomy needle and tubes for drawing blood?
The needle must be placed into an approved sharps container, and the tubes may be placed into the biohazard container.

What do we have to send from an Isolation patient?
The rule of thumb is to assume everything is contagious, therefore, place anything the patient may have touched or
otherwise infected into the container. This includes everything in the patient's room that cannot be sterilized.

Do we have to send knives & forks from an isolation patient?
No, these may be sterilized.

May we send mercury?
No. Mercury is a hazardous waste and must be handled separately from medical waste.

What day will you pick up?
Our routes vary, call us to discuss pick up options.

What if a cover comes loose on a sharps container?
It must be re-secured and taped shut.

Do we have to put the caps back on the needles?
No. never recap the needles. It endangers your health and is not necessary. Simply drop the entire syringe into an
approved sharps container..

What if the waste begins to smell bad, will you come pick it up?
If possible, a special pickup fee may apply.

How many copies of the manifest do we have to keep?
One, our drivers will supply you with a copy indicating how many containers were picked up and the date. Then, when
your waste has been destroyed, we will mail you another copy indicating when and where it was destroyed.
Whatever your question is regarding waste disposal Gamma Waste Systems would be glad to provide answer based on
your needs. Provide a few details on this form and one of our representatives will respond as quickly as possible.