Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator McKnight
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOH and DEP to develop best practices, and certain health care providers to develop plan, concerning medical waste management.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning medical waste and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
Hospital means a hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.)
Medical office means a location at which medical, surgical, or podiatric services are rendered and which is not subject to the licensure requirements of the Department of Health.
Medical waste means any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, in the production or testing of biologicals, or in home self-care. Medical waste does not include any hazardous waste identified or listed under 40 C.F.R. Part 261.
2. The Departments of Health and Environmental Protection shall identify and develop best practices for hospital and medical offices concerning medical waste management that promote public health and environmental stewardship.
3. a. Each hospital shall develop a written plan on medical waste management based on the best practices developed pursuant to section 2 of this act, which plan shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) guidelines for the rational use of personal protective equipment;
(2) methods to implement effective waste sorting, which include clears visuals and signage to guide the proper disposal of various types of medical waste; and
(3) instructions for accurately identifying and sorting waste at the point of generation.
b. Each hospital shall ensure that an employee of the hospital receives training on the implementation of the plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section if such training is necessary to comply with the provisions of this act.
4. a. Each medical office shall develop a written plan on medical waste management based on the best practices developed pursuant to section 2 of this act, which plan shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) guidelines for the rational use of personal protective equipment;
(2) methods to implement effective waste sorting, which include clears visuals and signage to guide the proper disposal of various types of medical waste; and
(3) instructions for accurately identifying and sorting waste at the point of generation.
b. Each medical office shall ensure that an employee of the medical office receives training on the implementation of the plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section if such training is necessary to comply with the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Departments of Health and Environmental Protection to identify and develop best practices for hospital and medical offices concerning medical waste management that promote public health and environmental stewardship.
The bill requires each hospital and medical office to develop a written plan on medical waste management based on the best practices developed pursuant to the bill. The plan will include, but not be limited to: guidelines for the rational use of personal protective equipment; methods to implement effective waste sorting; and instructions for accurately identifying and sorting waste at the point of generation. Each hospital and medical office will be required to ensure that the hospitals and medical offices employees receive training on the implementation of the plan developed pursuant to the bill to the extent that such training is necessary to comply with the bills provisions.