Persons engaged in the permitted storage of untreated medical waste shall comply with the following:

1. (1) No person shall operate or maintain a facility for storage of untreated medical waste without having first obtained an Alabama Medical Waste Storage Permit with the requirements defined in 335-17-4 and 335-17-8. Accumulation areas that are an integral part of the generator’s facility will not be required to obtain a permit.
2. (2) Storage facilities shall be fully enclosed.
3. (3) Designated storage facilities shall not be utilized for other purposes.
4. (4) Surfaces of storage facilities which may come into contact with medical waste shall be constructed of smooth, easily cleanable materials that are impervious to liquids.
5. (5) Storage facilities must be conspicuously identified with signs which contain either the phrase "Medical Waste," "Infectious Waste," "Biohazardous," or display the International Biological Hazard Symbol.
6. (6) Storage facilities must be adequately secured to prevent entry of unauthorized persons.
7. (7) Storage facilities must be operated in such a manner to minimize entry by rodents and vectors.
8. (8) The operation of storage facilities must minimize or prevent objectionable odors as determined by the Department from migrating off-site.
9. (9) If a container is damaged, leaking, spilling or improperly labeled, the storage facility may accept the container provided the damaged container is overpacked into another container or is properly labeled in accordance with the requirements of 335-17-3-.01(1).
10. (10) Persons manually handling untreated medical waste at the storage facility shall wear impermeable gloves and protective clothing to minimize exposure.
11. (11) The permittee or his designee shall allow inspection of the storage facility by Department Personnel during normal working hours.
12. (12) The permittee shall maintain records as required by the Department for a period of three (3) years. Records shall, at a minimum, include the following:
13. (a) The legal names and physical addresses of all generators and transporters who utilize the storage facility, together with the names and telephone numbers of the contact persons for each generator and transporter facility.
14. (b) The quantity of medical waste received from each generator or transporter per month. The quantity may be recorded in tons, pounds, cubic yards, cubic feet, or gallons.
15. (c) The date the waste was accepted from the generator or transporter for storage and the date it was removed from the storage facility.
16. (d) The name and telephone number of the contact person for the transporter removing the waste to another facility together with the transporter name and permit number.
17. (e) The quantity of medical waste removed from the storage facility per month. The quantity may be recorded in tons, pounds, cubic yards, cubic feet, or gallons.
18. (f) Training records for current personnel shall be kept until closure of the facility. Training records on former employees shall be kept for at least three (3) years from the date the employee last worked at the facility. Employee training records may accompany personnel transferred within the same company.
19. (13) The owner or operator of each storage facility shall prepare, maintain, and update as necessary, a Medical Waste Management Plan for the medical waste handled and stored at their facility.
20. (a) The Medical Waste Management Plan shall describe:
21. 1. The types of medical waste handled;
22. 2. Unloading, handling, and storage procedures that will be followed;
23. 3. Treatment facilities that will be utilized;
24. 4. Employee Training. Facility personnel whose duties have a direct effect on medical waste management, whether by direct contact with the medical waste or through medical waste management activities, shall receive training.
25. 5. Name of the individual responsible for the storage facility;
26. 6. Receiving and recordkeeping procedure;
27. 7. Emergency preparedness and response plan; and
28. 8. Spill contingency plan.
29. (b) The Medical Waste Management Plan must be kept at the permittee’s principal place of business;
30. (c) The Medical Waste Management Plan must be made available to the Department upon request.
31. (14) Medical waste shall not be held for more than thirty (30) days at the storage facility without refrigeration at temperatures less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerated medical waste may be held at the storage facility for no longer than one (1) year after the date on which the facility received the waste. Medical waste at the storage facility shall be managed to prevent it from becoming putrescible at any time.
32. (15) Notification of closure of the facility.
33. (a) Prior to closure. A medical waste storage facility which closes or ceases to store medical waste, shall notify the Department in writing no less than thirty (30) days prior to the expected date of beginning relocation or closure activities. The storage facility shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected once closure and/or relocation has been completed.
34. (b) After closure. Within thirty (30) days after completion of closure or the cessation of medical waste storage, the medical waste storage facility must provide documentation, which includes certification signed by the owner or operator, to the Department demonstrating that all regulated medical waste was transported off-site to a permitted medical waste storage or treatment facility.

Author: James L. Bryant. Ashley S. Powell

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§22-27-9, 22-27-12.

History: New Rule: Filed December 12, 2011; effective January 16, 2012. Amended: Published December 31, 2024; effective February 14, 2025. Amended: Published June 30, 2025; effective August 14, 2025.