Note, this is a rough draft of a waste management plan for a four-doctor medical practice.
This waste management plan describes the nature and amount of waste generated at Finger Mesa Oncology and provides estimates of future generation rates. Procedures and systems for collection and storage are described. The plan explains the ultimate disposal location for the waste and how patients, employees, and the public are protected from exposure.
FINGER MESA ONCOLOGY (aka “the practice” and “the business”) is a professional practice incorporated in the state of State. Principals are James Flanders, Phillip Tauton, Valerie Swanson, and Gloria Garcia. The business was founded in 1997 to provide cancer care to patients in the Anytown area. We have 14 full-time and 6 part-time employees.
Questions or concerns about waste management can be directed to:
Dr. James Flanders
310-555-1212 (office)
310-555-1234 (emergency, 24 hours)
The Practice is located at 3880 Balcones Pkwy, Anytown, USA. Patients are received at this location and all patient care takes place on the premises. The offices encompass 3400 sq ft, and includew a waiting room, receptionist/billing desk, six patient treatment rooms, a medical imaging lab, a utility room, and five offices. All waste produced by the Practice is generated at this location. In recent years the practice has seen approximately 1600 unique patients per year and 3600 office visitors (including patients and others).
The Practice is located in City, County, State, and is subject to regulations and laws instituted by the municipal, state, and federal governments. The business discharges sewage to the Finger Meda County Sewage Authority.
Transport and Disposal Contractors
The following contractor transports and disposes of our hazardous and radioactive waste, as follows:
Yolinda Waste
639 Faroh Lane
Centerville, CA 99999
555-222-3333
We contract with them to visit our facility every two weeks.
Infectious, biomedical, patholigical, and pharmaceutical waste is removed every 3 working days by:
Lafeyette BiomedWe put municipal solid waste into the facility dumpster operated by our landlord, Macy Holdings. They take it away. The cost is included in our rent.
The practice stores a chemicals on site to provide medical services:
Lidocaine and Septocaine. These topical analgesics are used to induce numbness and dull patient pain during and after dental procedures.These are not controlled drugs. They are not abused and there are few attempts to steal them. They are not hazardous materials under the RCRA standards for hazardous waste: corrosive, flammable, reactive, or toxic when given at recommended doses. We maintain no more than 30 lbs each of lidocaine and septocaine on site at any time.
Systemic analgesics. We maintains ibuprofen, and paracetamol in pill form for patient pain relief. These are over-the-counter medicines. We also keep opiod medications (oxycodone and oxycodone preparations). These are prescription medications with addictive potential. Because of the theft risk, we keep these medicines in a safe.
In routine operations the Practice generates:
Municipal solid waste (office trash)
Hazardous Waste - as defined by RCRA
Radioactive waste - small amounts related to bracyotherapy treatment
Pathological waste - bodily fluids
Historical generation rates:
Municipal solid waste - 30,000 lb/yr
Hazardous Waste - 500 lb/yr
Radioactive waste - 8 Cures/year
Pathological waste - 175 lb/yr (estimate)
We keep no waste on site that is more than 2 months old.
We have three fire extinguishers in the office and two chemical spill kits for cleanup of materials. The spill kits are 5-gallon bag kits from Grainer: https://www.grainger.com/category/safety/sorbents-spill-control-spill-containment/sorbents-spill-kits/universal-sorbents-spill-kits/universal-spill-kits?filters=webParentSkuKey&webParentSkuKey=WP12090511
We practice fire drills with our staff twice per year. Designated invidiuals are in charge of securing the pharmacy. We instruct our employees on how to direct visitors out of the building in the case of an emergency.
We maintain four types of collection receptacles throughout the facility:
Tracking documents and storage records pertaining to the generation and disposal of medical waste are maintained by the owners of the business.
All tracking documents and treatment records are maintained for at least three years.
Once per year there is an office-wide refresher briefing about safety and security, Employees are reminded of waste management issues and the need to segregate waste.
James Flanders, MD
Member, FINGER MESA ONCOLOGY
