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APPENDIX A: DEFINITIONS
Anatomical Material - human or animal body parts, including tissues and organs (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Background Radiation - radiation experienced by everything on earth, which comes from sources including cosmic rays from the sun and stars; naturally occurring radioactive materials in rocks and soil; radionuclides normally incorporated into body tissues, and radon and its products which are inhaled.
Blood - human blood, human blood components, and products from human blood (OSHA; 29 CFR §1910.1030)
Blood - human or animal blood (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Blood-soiled Article - any article that contains Blood in any form as a result of contact with Blood (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Biological Product - a material prepared and manufactured in accordance with the provisions of certain regulations of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Health and Human Services (9 CFR Parts 102, 103, or 104, or 21 CFR Parts 312, 600-680) (USDOT HMR; 49 CFR §173.134)
Contaminated Material - the feces of an individual diagnosed as having a disease that may be transmitted to another human being through the feces; an article soiled with the feces of an individual diagnosed as having a disease that may be transmitted to another human being through the feces; or an article that has come in contact with a know infectious agent (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Contaminated Sharps - any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels, broken glass, broken capillary tubes, and exposed ends of dental wires. Contaminated means the presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) on an item or surface (OSHA; 29 CFR §1910.1030)
Controlled Hazardous Substances (CHS)(other than SMW and RHS)and Hazardous Wastes - wastes exhibiting one or more of the characteristics of:
· Ignitibility: having a flash point under 140°F, or as further defined in COMAR 26.13.02.11
· Corrosivity: pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5, or as further defined in COMAR 26.13.02.12
· Reactivity: explosive or chemically reactive, or as further defined in COMAR 26.13.02.13
· Toxicity: acutely or chronically poisonous, or as further defined in COMAR 26.13.02.14
Wastes listed in COMAR 26.13.01.04A and C, which in general correspond to wastes identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “F”, “K”, “P”, and “U” wastes
Mixtures of solid and hazardous wastes that exhibit hazardous characteristics
Designated Facility - a facility which is authorized under Federal and applicable State law for treatment, storage and disposal of Special Medical Waste, and which has been designated on the manifest by the Generator as required under COMAR 26.13.03.04
Diagnostic Specimen - any human or animal material being shipped for purposes of diagnosis, including but not limited to excreta, secreta, blood, blood components, tissue, and tissue fluids, being shipped for diagnostic purposes (USDOT HMR 49 CFR §173.134)
Etiologic Agent - a viable microorganism, or its toxin, that causes or may cause disease in humans or animals, including those agents listed in HHS; 42 CFR §72.3 and any other agent that causes or may cause severe, disabling or fatal disease. The terms Etiologic Agent and Infectious Substance are synonymous. (USDOT HMR; 49 CFR §173.134).
Garbage - all waste material derived in whole or in part from fruits, vegetables, meats, or other plant or animal (including poultry) material, and other refuse of any character whatsoever that has been associated with any such material on board any means of conveyance, and including food scraps, table refuse, galley refuse, food wrappers, or packaging materials, and other waste materials from stores, food preparation areas, passengers’ or crews’ quarters, dining rooms, or any other areas on means of conveyance. Also included are meals and other food that were available for consumption by passengers and crew on an aircraft but were not consumed. Garbage is regulated if it is associated with means of conveyance moving outside of the continental United States and Canada. Means of conveyance include ocean going vessels, aircraft or other means of intercontinental transportation. (USDA; 7 CFR §330.400 and 9 CFR §94.5)
Generator> - any Person whose act or process produces a Special Medical Waste (COMAR 26.13.11.02)
Infectious Substance - a viable microorganism, or its toxin, that causes or may cause disease in humans or animals, including those agents listed in HHS; 42 CFR §72.3 and any other agent that causes or may cause severe, disabling or fatal disease. The terms Infectious Substance and Etiologic Agent are synonymous. (USDOT HMR; 49 CFR §173.134).
Infectious Wastes - any waste that comes from a hospital, laboratory, or other health care facility and that is known or suspected to be contaminated with organisms capable of producing disease or infection in humans, including: contaminated disposable equipment, instruments, and utensils; contaminated needles, scalpels, and razor blades; human tissue and organs that result from surgery, obstetrics, or autopsy; feces, urine, vomitus, and suctionings; live vaccines for human use; blood and blood products; laboratory specimens, such as tissues, blood elements, excreta, and secretions (Environment Article, § 9-227, Annotated Code of Maryland)
Microbiological Laboratory Waste - waste from a microbiological laboratory that contains an infectious agent, and includes cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) - semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids, any unfixed tissue or organ from a human (living or dead), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV or HBV (hepatitis B virus)-containing culture medium or other solutions, and blood, organs or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV (OSHA; 29 CFR §1910.1030) .
Person - an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, federal agency, corporation (including a government corporation), partnership, association, state, municipality, political subdivision of a state, any interstate body, and any combination of Persons using a common disposal collection device (COMAR 26.13.11.02)
Radioactive Hazardous Substance (RHS) - a solid waste that contains or is contaminated with radioactive material emitting primarily gamma or beta radiation and is not transuranic waste or high-level nuclear waste, but excluding excreta from individuals undergoing medical diagnosis or therapy with radioactive materials (COMAR 26.15.02.02)
Special Medical Waste - a waste, or reusable material, that contains an Infectious Substance and is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or research of humans or animals. This waste does not include discarded cultures and stocks (USDOT HMR; 49 CFR §173.134).
Regulated Waste - liquid or semi-liquid Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials; contaminated items that would release Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed; items that are caked with dried Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials and are capable of releasing these materials during handling; Contaminated Sharps; and pathological and microbiological wastes containing Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OSHA; 29 CFR §1910.1030).
Sharp - a syringe, needle, surgical instrument, or other article that is capable of cutting or puncturing human skin; has cut or punctured human skin; or has come in contact with a known infectious agent (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
Special Medical Waste (SMW) - a waste composed of Anatomical Material, Blood in liquid form, Blood-soiled Articles, Contaminated Material, Microbiological Laboratory Waste, or Sharps (COMAR 10.06.06.02 & 26.13.11.02)
