1. A. Medical sharps shall be handled as follows:

   1. 1. A generator who treats biohazardous medical waste on site shall place medical sharps in a sharps container after rendering them incapable of creating a stick hazard by using an encapsulation agent or any other process that prevents a stick hazard. Medical sharps encapsulated or processed in this manner are considered to be solid waste.

   2. 2. A generator who ships biohazardous medical waste off site for treatment shall either:

      1. a. Place medical sharps in a medical sharps container and follow the requirements of R18-13-1406, or
      2. b. Package and send medical sharps to a treatment facility via a mail-back system as prescribed by the instructions provided by the mail-back system operator. The generator shall retain proof of shipping.

2. B. Notwithstanding subsections (A)(1) and (2), the following syringes do not have to be placed in a medical sharps container:

   1. 1. Syringes that have never had a needle (sharp) attached.
   2. 2. Syringes where a needle or sharp had been attached and has been separated from the syringe so that no stick or puncture hazard remains with the syringe.
3. C. Syringes that are exempted by subsections (B)(1) and (2) from being placed in a medical sharps container are not biohazardous medical waste, and may be treated as a solid waste, if they are not composed of biohazardous items listed in R18-13-1401(4) and do not contain discarded drugs or another regulated substance.

Historical Note

New Section adopted by final rulemaking at 5 A.A.R. 3776, effective September 17, 1999 (Supp. 99-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 27 A.A.R. 2801 (December 3, 2021), effective January 4, 2022 (Supp. 21-4).