15 Most Common Hazardous Waste Violations and Problems
Found at Hospitals
- Improper or lack of hazardous
waste (HW) labeling (go to HW labeling).
- No
or infrequent weekly inspections of HW storage/satellite
areas (go to for inspections
requirements).
- Open containers of HW
(go to container
sealing requirement).
- Improper disposal of chemotherapy
drugs (go to hazardous waste determinations and see information
for U-list waste).
- Failure to perform or
improper hazardous waste determinations (go to hazardous waste determinations).
- No
or inadequate HW manifests (go to hazardous
waste manifest).
- Throwing HW down the drain.
- Improper
management of mercury-containing wastes, including
but not limited to, fluorescent
light bulbs, mercury vapor lights, thermometers,
sphygmomanometer, gastric tubes, thermostats,
etc. (go to mercury in healthcare
facilities)
- Improper management of
expired pharmaceuticals, paints, etc. (go
to pharmaceuticals in healthcare
facilities)
- Lack of a contingency
plan (go to emergency
planning).
- Lack of or inadequate
training of employees in HW management
(go to personnel
training).
- Failure to ensure that
HW meets Land Disposal Restrictions
(go to shipping
wastes off-site).
- Failure to upgrade/close
underground storage tanks (USTs)
by 12/22/98 (go to UST
inspection protocol).
- Malfunctioning
leak detection systems.
- Improper
consolidation of wastes from nearby
facilities.
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