Re: Mixed Waste

["Michael P. Grissom" <MIKEG%SLACVM.bitnet@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>]

Forwarded-from: MIKEG

1.  Alzheimer's has been potentially linked to an organic structure called
a "prion" as I recall.  I do not believe that has been conclusively
proven, however.  Is the material blood containing vials or path specimens?
Normal handling precautions for bacterial/viral containing (potentially)
patient specimens should be adequate (autoclaving, ETO, etc.).  Gamma
irradiation to a few Mrads would suffice in most cases, of course, if current
disposal regulations in Wisconsin allow, i.e., State, County, and Municipality.
Sometimes medical incinerators have to demonstrate no surviving biohazards as
part of their "air" permits.  Is the mixed waste containing radionuclides
from diagnostic or therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures, i.e., really
mixed waste?  If so, is your incinerator licensed for radioactive biowaste?

2.  In California, medical incineration at the facility is becoming an
impossibility due to regulatory constraints (primarily air pollution
restrictions in urban areas) even without considering mixed waste scenarios.


                         - - - - Forwarded Text - - - -


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From: "Patrick D. Beyer" <pbeyer@post.its.mcw.edu>
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Subject: Re: Mixed Waste
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X-Comment:  Radiation Safety Distribution List



Yep thats the rub.... I need to render the material non-infectious
according to the universal precautions guidlines so that it can be
incinerated. I don't think that there is a pathogen involved with
alzhimers, but i could only guess as i am not a biology type......
Radiation would do it but they don't concider it as a vialble method,
probably because they didn't think anyone would.......



Pat Beyer
Medical College of Wisconsin