The transportation of untreated medical waste shall comply with the following requirements.

1. (1) A non-rail transporter shall not transport untreated medical waste without having received an Alabama Medical Waste Transporter Permit in compliance with requirements in accordance with 335-17-5 and 335-17-8.
2. (2) No medical waste transporter shall accept untreated medical waste which contains hazardous waste or radioactive waste, for transportation to a medical waste treatment facility.
3. (3) No medical waste transporter shall transport untreated medical waste in the same transport vehicle with other solid waste unless all the waste in the vehicle is managed as untreated medical waste.
4. (4) No medical waste transporter shall accept any container of untreated medical waste for transport which shows visible signs of leakage or spillage, or which is not properly sealed and labeled.
5. (5) No medical waste transporter shall compact untreated medical waste in a transport vehicle.
6. (6) No medical waste transporter shall allow untreated medical waste to escape from a transport vehicle into the environment. All vehicles utilized must be enclosed.
7. (7) No medical waste transporter shall deliver untreated medical waste to an unpermitted storage, treatment, or disposal facility in Alabama. All out-of-state shipments should be coordinated with the appropriate regulatory authority of the receiving State.
8. (8) Persons manually loading or unloading containers of untreated medical waste from a medical waste transport vehicle must wear impermeable gloves and protective clothing to help minimize exposure.
9. (9) Surfaces of medical waste transport vehicles which may come into contact with medical waste must be constructed of durable, easily cleanable materials.
10. (10) Surfaces of medical waste transport vehicles which have been in contact with untreated medical waste shall be decontaminated.
11. (11) All medical waste transport vehicles shall be identified with the following information.
12. (a) The business name of the permitted transporter;
13. (b) The telephone number of a contact person for the transporter;
14. (c) One or more of the following phrases or symbols: "Medical Waste" or "Infectious Waste" or the International Biological Hazard Symbol; and
15. (d) The ADEM permit number.
16. (12) Each medical waste transporter shall allow the following at reasonable times and locations:
17. (a) The inspection of vehicles by Department Personnel; and
18. (b) The inspection of all documents required by this Division.
19. (13) All medical waste transport vehicles shall be fully enclosed and secured when unattended.
20. (14) A spill cleanup kit shall be kept in all transport vehicles.
21. (15) All medical waste transporters shall notify the Department immediately by telephone at (334) 271-7700, if a spill of medical waste occurs. A written report addressing how the spill occurred, what impact if any it had on the environment, any injury to individuals, method of clean-up, and final disposition of the waste. In addition, the transporter must address what steps will be taken in the future to minimize a similar occurrence. This report shall be filed with the Department within seven (7) calendar days from the date the spill occurred.
22. (16) All medical waste transporters shall maintain records for a period of at least three (3) years regarding the following:
23. (a) The quantity of untreated medical waste transported from each generator or storage facility per month. The quantity may be recorded in tons, pounds, cubic yards, cubic feet, or gallons.
24. (b) The name and location of any storage facilities utilized by the transporter prior to delivery to a treatment facility and the period of time the waste remained in storage.
25. (c) The date the waste was accepted from the generator or storage facility, and the date it was delivered to a treatment facility or another storage facility.
26. (d) Training records for current personnel shall be kept until closure of the company. Training records on former employees shall be kept for at least three (3) years from the date the employee last worked at the company. Employee training records may accompany personnel transferred within the same company.
27. (17) Transportation of medical waste and/or subsequent storage prior to treatment shall be accomplished within fourteen (14) days.
28. (18) Each medical waste transporter shall prepare, maintain, and update as necessary, a Medical Waste Management Plan for the medical waste they handle.
29. (a) The Medical Waste Management Plan must address to the extent the information is applicable to the transporter:
30. 1. The types of medical waste handled;
31. 2. Transportation procedures;
32. 3. Storage, treatment and disposal facilities that will be utilized;
33. 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 appropriate medical waste management training.
34. 5. The name of the individual responsible for the transportation and management of medical waste.
35. (b) The Medical Waste Management Plan must be kept at the permittee’s principal place of business.
36. (c) The Medical Waste Management Plan must be made available to the Department upon request.
37. (19) All medical waste transporters shall notify the Department immediately by telephone at (334) 271-7700 when untreated medical waste has been or is anticipated to be out of compliance with the requirement as contained in paragraph 335-17-5-.01(17) while in their possession. A written report addressing why the waste was kept longer than fourteen (14) days, and what impact, if any, it had on the environment, how the occurrence was corrected, and what steps will be taken in the future to minimize a similar occurrence. This report shall be filed with the Department within seven (7) calendar days from the date noncompliance was noted.

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.