Medical and Pharmaceutical Waste for Health Care Facilities

The management requirements for medical and pharmaceutical waste from health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, dental offices, long term care facilities and veterinary facilities is established in both the Colorado Regulations Pertaining to Solid Waste Sites and Facilities and the Colorado Hazardous Waste Regulations.

In addition, certain medical facilities are licensed to use radioactive materials (e.g., radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine procedures) in the diagnosis or treatment of patients. Such treatment may generate wastes that are also radioactive.

These facilities must control and handle any radioactive waste in a special manner that goes beyond the requirements for non-radioactive waste materials. Facilities are required to hold these radioactive wastes until they decay to radiation levels that are equivalent to background and are then surveyed by personnel trained in radiation safety using radiation detection instrumentation. Once decayed, these wastes may be handled like similar non-radioactive wastes. Wastes contaminated by longer-lived radioactive materials may have to be disposed of as radioactive waste through a licensed waste facility or waste broker. Requirements for radioactive waste disposal are contained in the facility's specific radioactive materials license as well as in the Regulations Pertaining to Radiation Control.

By regulation, each facility licensed for radioactive materials must have identified a Radiation Safety Officer who is knowledgeable in and responsible for all aspects of the radiation safety program at the facility. The Radiation Safety Officer should be the first point of contact for any questions about radioactive waste and radiation safety.

For more information, contact us at comments.hmwmd@state.co.us .

Regulatory Guidance and Interpretation - Medical Waste

Health Care Facilities and Other Medical Waste Generators

Containers That Once Held P-listed Pharmaceuticals (7 pg, December 2011)
Collection of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals (3 pg, January 2012)
Epinephrine Waste Management - Regulatory Compliance Notice (2 pg, August 2006)
Epinephrine Hazardous Waste Determination White Paper (3 pg, August 2006)
Evaluating Wastes in the Health Care Setting Including Pharmaceutical Wastes (3 pg, October 2011)
Examples of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals (7 pg, October 2011)
Generator Requirements of the Colorado Hazardous Waste Regulations (70 pg, January 2010)
Medical Waste Generator Compliance Bulletin (10 pg, February 2012)
Medical Waste Identification Compliance Bulletin (7 pg, February 2012)
Trauma Scene Waste Management (5 pg, April 2012)
EPA 1994 Interpretation: Empty Syringes (1 pg, December 1994)
EPA 2008 Interpretation: Empty Syringes (1 pg, April 2008)
Waste/Outdated Vaccine Disposal (2 pg, December 2010)

Medical Waste Service Providers

Medical Waste Storage Facilities Compliance Bulletin (5 pg, February 2012)
Medical Waste Transporters Compliance Bulletin (3 pg, February 2012)
Medical Waste Treatment Compliance Bulletin (5 pg, February 2012)

Regulations

Colorado Regulations Pertaining to Solid Waste Sites and Facilities (6 CCR 1007-2)
- Section 13 Medical Waste Regulations - Effective September 30, 2011
- Statement of Basis and Purpose
Materials and Regulations Incorporated by Reference
- 49 CFR 173.196 US DOT - Category A infectious substances (packaging) (January 2009)
- 49 CFR 173.197 US DOT - Regulated medical waste (packaging) (September 2010)
- 21 CFR 1307.11 DEA - Distribution by dispenser to another practitioner or reverse distributor (April 2010)
- 21 CFR 1307.21 DEA - Procedure for disposing of controlled substances (April 2010)
- 21 USC Section 802(6) DEA - Controlled Substances Act Definitions (February 2010)
- Title 12 Article 22 Part 133 CRS State Board of Pharmacy - Unused medication_licensed facilities_reuse_rules (April 2010)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter II Part 7.200 et seq. CDPHE - Donation of unused medications, medical devices and medical supplies (April 2011)
- 6 CCR 1015-10 CDPHE - Cancer drug repository program (July 2006)
- STAATT II - Technical Assistance Manual: State Regulatory Oversight of Medical Waste Treatment Technologies, A Report of the State and Territorial Association on Alternative Treatment Technologies (December 1998)
Colorado Hazardous Waste Regulations (6 CCR 1007-3)
Colorado Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Radiation Control (6 CCR 1007-1)

Resources

Presentations from previous Health Care Facilities Workshops
Drug Waste Needs Proper Disposal letter to Long Term Care Facilities March 6, 2013
Drug Waste Needs Proper Disposal flier
Approved Pharmaceutical Waste Only container labels designed for Avery 5163 labels
No Pharmaceuticals container labels designed for Avery 5163 labels
List of Medical Waste Service Providers
Mail-back Programs for Mercury, Lighting, Dental, Medical and Electronic Waste

Colorado Environmental Leadership Program: recognition for facilities that voluntarily go beyond compliance with the regulations

Training

The Division periodically provides training seminars for solid waste, hazardous waste, and radiation management. This includes a workshop for waste management at health care facilities.

Copies of the presentations from the previous health care workshop are also provided using the link below.

Schedule of upcoming workshops