This chapter shall be cited as the Lewis County infectious waste chapter.
(Ord. 1112 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare by provisions designed:
(1) 
To protect human life and health;
(2) 
To minimize the impact of activities involving infectious waste on the natural environment of Lewis County;
(3) 
To ensure that those involved in the storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of infectious waste in Lewis County assume responsibility for their activities and actions.
(Ord. 1112 § 2, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application.
(1) 
"Bedding"
means bedding that has been used for laboratory animals.
(2) 
"Carcasses, body parts, blood and bodily fluids, and bedding of laboratory animals"
means carcasses, body parts, blood and bodily fluids in liquid or semiliquid form, and bedding of laboratory animals that have been intentionally or are suspected of having been exposed to pathogens in research, in production of biologicals, in the in vivo testing of pharmaceuticals, or other procedures.
(3) 
"Container"
means any portable device or material in which infectious waste is stored, transported, treated, disposed of, or otherwise handled.
(4) 
"Contaminated sharp"
means an object that is capable of cutting or penetrating the skin and has been in contact with blood or body fluids. The term includes a hypodermic or suture needle, syringe, scalpel blade, pipette, lancet, or broken glass.
(5) 
"Communicable disease"
means a communicable disease as defined under Chapters 248-100 and 248-101 WAC.
(6) 
"Generation facility"
means any of the following places where the generation of infectious waste occurs:
(a) 
Hospital;
(b) 
Ambulatory surgical center;
(c) 
Medical/diagnostic laboratory;
(d) 
Blood center;
(e) 
Pharmaceutical company;
(f) 
Academic research laboratory company;
(g) 
Industrial research laboratory;
(h) 
Health care facility as defined by Chapter 248-100 WAC;
(i) 
Office and mobile units of health care providers;
(j) 
Diet or health care clinic;
(k) 
Office of a veterinarian;
(l) 
Veterinary hospital;
(m) 
Emergency medical services provider;
(n) 
Mortuary;
(o) 
Home health agency.
(7) 
"Health care provider"
means a person employed as, or by, or receiving training from, a provider as defined by Chapter 248-100 WAC, or by a laboratory, blood center, state institution, or any other facility where a person is likely to have direct contact with blood or body fluids.
(8) 
"Hearing Examiner"
means the Office of the Lewis County Hearing Examiner, the Examiner and Deputy Examiners.
(9) 
"Infectious waste activity"
means all activities during and following the transportation of infectious waste from a generation facility. This includes transportation, storage, treatment, or disposal of infectious waste as defined by this chapter.
(10) 
"Infectious waste"
means waste that epidemiologic evidence indicates is capable of transmitting a dangerous communicable disease. Infectious waste includes but is not limited to the following:
(a) 
Contaminated sharps or contaminated objects that could potentially become contaminated sharps;
(b) 
Infectious biological cultures, infectious associated biologicals, and infectious agent stock;
(c) 
Pathological waste;
(d) 
Blood and blood products in liquid and semiliquid form;
(e) 
Carcasses, body parts, blood and body fluids in liquid and semiliquid form, and bedding of laboratory animals; and
(f) 
Other waste that has been intermingled with infectious waste.
(11) 
"Mortuary"
means a funeral home.
(12) 
"Pathological waste"
means tissues, organs, body parts, and blood or body fluids in liquid or semiliquid form of humans that are removed during surgery, biopsy, or autopsy.
(13) 
"Person"
means any individual, facility, partnership, copartnership, firm, company, association, joint-stock company, corporation, government entity, or agent.
(14) 
"Secured area"
means an area that is designed for and maintained to prevent the entry of unauthorized persons.
(15) 
"Semiliquid blood and blood products"
means blood and blood products that have intermediate fluid properties and are capable of flowing in a manner similar to a liquid.
(16) 
"State board"
means the Washington State Board of Health.
(17) 
"Storage"
means the containment of infectious waste in such a manner as not to constitute collection, treatment, transport, or disposal.
(18) 
"Veterinarian"
means a person authorized to practice veterinary medicine by the state of Washington.
(19) 
"Waste"
means any solid, liquid, or semiliquid material that is discarded or is being accumulated prior to being discarded or that has served its natural, biological, medical, or intended purpose and is generally discarded and not reused.
(20) 
"Waste handlers"
means any person who handles infectious waste.
(Ord. 1112 § 3, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
Applicability. The requirements of this chapter shall apply, without regard to quantity, to defined facilities and persons involved in infectious waste activity. This rule represents the minimum standards required by Lewis County, however, persons may utilize more stringent standards.
(2) 
Exemptions. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the following:
(a) 
The transportation of infectious waste through Lewis County where no storage, treatment, or disposal of the transported infectious waste occurs within Lewis County.
(Ord. 1112 § 4, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)