DEC Revises Regulated Medical Waste Storage and Disposal Regulations

April 13, 2018

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) issued an enforcement discretion letter related to storage time limitation requirements for regulated medical waste containers, revising 6 NYCRR 365-1.2(b)(7) and 6 NYCRR 365-1.2(b)(8). Based upon concerns of small generators of regulated medical waste (“RMW”) such as dental offices, the DEC will revise provisions related to the removal of RMW and sharps from patient care or use areas to a room or area designated for RMW storage. The DEC will now require that RMW and sharps be removed when the container has reached the fill line indicated on the container, is otherwise filled, or the container generates odors or other evidence of putrefaction, whichever comes first. This allows small generators additional time as the regulations now provide specific hour and day requirements for the removal of these items.