Hazardous Waste Disposal Service collects MRSA testing devices.
Press Release Summary:
Leveraging knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations, service properly disposes of patient-on-admission MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) testing devices for hospitals, research laboratories, public health clinics, and physician offices. Full regulatory compliance consulting and outsourcing service includes tracking and documentation as well as certificates of disposal to ensure proper handling and reduce liability.
Original Press Release:
Clean Harbors Properly Disposes of MRSA Admission Testing Cartridges
NORWELL, MA - Clean Harbors, North America's leading provider of environmental, energy and industrial services, today announced a service to properly dispose of patient-on-admission MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) testing devices for hospitals, research laboratories, public health clinics and physicians' offices.
These sophisticated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) devices typically use self-contained, single-use cartridges that contain sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This requires that the used media be classified as hazardous, as opposed to medical, waste. This classification places MRSA testing devices under the control of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). While the manufacturer's product insert and Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) properly state that these items are hazardous, not all institutions recognize that MRSA detection cartridges must be treated as hazardous waste.
Additionally, waste cartridges containing chemical reagents and biological fluids may be considered "mixed waste," which could place them under the jurisdiction of local and state regulators. Since hazardous wastes are the responsibility of their Generators from cradle to grave it is in the best interest of healthcare administrators to properly categorize, manage and document all of their wastes through destruction.
Certified Disposal
Clean Harbors has the expert staff and the knowledge of federal, state and local regulations to provide full regulatory compliance consulting and outsourcing. The service includes tracking and documentation, as well as certificates of disposal to ensure proper handling and to reduce liability.
The company has the disposal infrastructure to properly categorize, handle and dispose of MRSA testing devices and other hazardous and non-hazardous wastes generated by hospitals and other healthcare institutions. In fact, Clean Harbors operates two of the four hazardous waste incinerators in the U.S. that are permitted to manage mixed RCRA and biohazard wastes.
"Clean Harbors provides a wide range of disposal services for healthcare institutions," commented Clean Harbors Vice President, Healthcare John Kelsey. "We help healthcare employees navigate the complexities of multi-tiered regulations, keeping them in compliance while simplifying administration. MRSA test kit disposal is simply an extension of our service portfolio that is already benefitting our current customers and is available to all."
About Clean Harbors
Clean Harbors is the leading provider of environmental, energy and industrial services throughout North America. The Company serves over 50,000 customers, including a majority of the Fortune 500 companies, thousands of smaller private entities and numerous federal, state, provincial and local governmental agencies. Headquartered in Norwell, Massachusetts, Clean Harbors has more than 175 locations, including over 50 waste management facilities, throughout North America in 36 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The Company also operates international locations in Bulgaria, China, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.cleanharbors.com.
