17.50.1506    INFECTIOUS WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

(1) Infectious waste transported or managed under this subchapter must be treated and disposed of according to the provisions of 75-10-1005, MCA, and this section.

(2) Infectious waste that has been treated according to this section and 75-10-1005, MCA, may be disposed of in a licensed solid waste management facility approved by the department to accept treated infectious waste, provided the treated waste is not comingled with hazardous or radioactive waste.

(3) Infectious waste may be discharged into a sewage treatment facility as provided for in 75-10-1005(4)(b), MCA.

(4) Except as provided in (5), infectious waste must be treated using steam sterilization to the temperature, pressure, and time sufficient to ensure, within reasonable scientific probability, inactivation of geobacillus stearothermophilus spores and mycobacteria in the center of the waste load to achieve a 6 Log₁₀ reduction or greater.

(5) The department may approve alternative treatment methods submitted by a person or facility treating infectious waste, if the methods meet the requirements of (6).

(6) An application for alternative treatment methods must be supported by the results of laboratory tests that meet the following requirements:

(a) the laboratory tests shall be conducted:

(i) by qualified laboratory personnel;

(ii) using recognized microbial sterilization techniques documented in peer-reviewed scientific publications;

(iii) using samples inoculated with test organisms and then subjected to the proposed alternative treatment method; and

(b) the results of the tests must document and verify that the proposed alternative treatment method achieves the standards of inactivation provided in (2).

(7) Infectious waste consisting of recognizable human anatomical remains, including human fetal remains, shall be disposed of according to the provisions of 75-10-1005, MCA.

History: 75-10-208, MCA; IMP, 75-10-1004, 75-10-1005, MCA; NEW, 2013 MAR p. 1825, Eff. 10/18/13