The standards contained within this article shall be the minimum required by Lewis County for infectious waste activities. These standards shall apply, without regard to quantity, to defined facilities and persons involved in infectious waste activity. However, persons may utilize more stringent standards if they so wish.
(Ord. 1112 § 6, 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
For the purposes of this chapter, the infectious waste generation facilities or any other generator of infectious waste is responsible for the appropriate containment, appropriate labeling, effective treatment, transport, and disposal of infectious waste as required herein. A person may provide services to the generator of infectious waste, including the appropriate containment, appropriate labeling, effective treatment, transport, or disposal of infectious waste. Both the generator of infectious waste and the person providing the services to the generator of infectious waste are responsible for complying with the requirements set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(A), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter shall:
(1) 
Have a written policy and procedures that, at a minimum, contain:
(a) 
The requirements contained in this section, and
(b) 
The sanctions, including discipline and dismissal of persons, if warranted, for failure to follow the requirements set forth in this section;
(2) 
Provide necessary instruction and materials including protective garments to implement this section prior to giving a person an assignment where contact with infectious waste is likely;
(3) 
Maintain a record of instruction, including an attendance record of a person's participation in the instruction; and
(4) 
Make all records available for inspection by Lewis County upon request.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(B), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter shall ensure that infectious waste is at all times contained in a manner that will reasonably protect waste handlers and the public from contracting dangerous communicable disease that may result from exposure to the infectious waste.
(2) 
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter shall place contaminated sharps or contaminated objects that could potentially become contaminated sharps, infectious biological cultures, infectious associated biologicals and infectious agent stock in containers that are:
(a) 
Leakproof, rigid, puncture resistant;
(b) 
Tightly sealed to prevent expulsion;
(c) 
Labeled with the biohazard symbol; and
(d) 
Effectively treated in accordance with this chapter prior to being stored in an unsecured area for final disposal.
(3) 
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter shall place pathological waste; laboratory animal carcasses, laboratory animal body parts, laboratory animal blood and body fluids, and laboratory animal bedding; human blood, human blood products in liquid or semiliquid form, and human body fluids that are visibly contaminated with blood in containers that are:
(a) 
Impervious to moisture;
(b) 
Sufficiently strong and thick to prevent expulsion;
(c) 
Secured to prevent leakage or expulsion;
(d) 
Labeled with the biohazard symbol; and
(e) 
Effectively treated in accordance with this chapter prior to being placed in an unsecured area and sent for final disposal.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(C), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
If infectious waste is stored prior to final disposal, all persons subject to this chapter shall:
(1) 
Store infectious waste in a secure area that:
(a) 
Is locked or otherwise secured to eliminate access by or exposure to the general public,
(b) 
Affords protection from adverse environmental conditions and vermin, and
(c) 
Has a prominently displayed biohazard symbol;
(2) 
Store infectious waste in a manner that preserves the integrity of the container, and is not conducive to rapid microbial growth and putrefaction; and
(3) 
Disinfect reusable containers for infectious waste each time that they are emptied, unless the surfaces of the reusable containers have been protected from contamination by disposable liners, bags or other devices that are removed with the infectious waste.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(D), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
(1) 
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter shall either effectively treat infectious waste in accordance with this section or transport infectious waste off-site for effective treatment in accordance with this section.
(2) 
A treatment is effective if it reduces the pathogenic qualities of infectious waste for safe handling, is designed for the specific infectious waste involved, and is carried out in a manner consistent with this section. Effective treatment may include:
(a) 
Incineration;
(b) 
Steam sterilization;
(c) 
Chemical disinfection;
(d) 
Thermal inactivation;
(e) 
Irradiation; or
(f) 
Discharge in a sanitary sewer or septic system that is properly installed and operating in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington and Lewis County.
(3) 
Except as provided in LCC § 8.20.250, all persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter may store, transport, and dispose of infectious waste that has been effectively treated in accordance with this chapter in the usual manner for waste that is noninfectious.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(E), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
All persons subject to the requirements of this chapter shall:
(1) 
Transport infectious waste in a manner that reasonably protects waste handlers and the public from contracting dangerous communicable disease; and
(2) 
Effectively treat infectious waste in accordance with this chapter before it is compacted.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(F), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
All persons and facilities subject to the requirements of this chapter who are transporting infectious waste off-site shall:
(1) 
Mark containers of infectious waste with a label that states the name, address, and telephone number of the generating facility and treatment facility, if applicable.
(2) 
Provide a form that contains:
(a) 
The name, address, and telephone number of the generating facility and treatment facility, if applicable;
(b) 
A brief description of the waste and the method of effective treatment; and
(c) 
The signature of a responsible person.
(3) 
Transport infectious waste only in vehicles approved by the state of Washington to transport infectious waste.
(Ord. 1112 § 6(G), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)
The following criteria should be used for siting infectious waste activities:
(1) 
Infectious waste activities shall not be located within a 500-year frequency floodplain identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
(Ord. 1112 § 6(H), 1991; Ord. 1157, 1998)