Biomedical waste consists of solids, liquids, sharps, and
laboratory waste that are potentially infectious or dangerous. It must
be properly managed to protect the general public, specifically
healthcare and sanitation workers who are regularly exposed to
biomedical waste as an occupational hazard.
Common producers (generators) of biomedical waste include hospitals, health clinics, nursing homes, medical researchlaboratories, offices of physicians, dentists, and veterinarians, home health care, and funeral homes.
Disposal of this waste is an environmental concern, as many medical wastes are classified as infectious or bio-hazardous and could potentially lead to the spread of infectious disease
After the repeal of the The Medical Waste Tracking Act
which set the standards for governmental regulation of medical waste the States were given the responsibility to
regulate and pass laws concerning the disposal of medical waste.
