CONTAINMENT OF MEDICAL WASTE; MODIFY S.B. 482:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 482 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 138 (Medical Waste) of the Public Health Code to allow facilities that produce medical waste (producing facilities) to store medical waste in a sharps container for longer than 90 days if the sharps container were not filled to more than 75% capacity.
BRIEF RATIONALE
Updating Michigan's statute concerning the disposal of sharps containers would generate less medical waste from producing facilities. According to testimony, Federal standards say that sharps containers should be replaced at 75% capacity but State statute requires the containers to be discarded every 90 days.[1] This generates excess waste in producing facilities that do not fill up a sharps container to 75% capacity every 90 days, particularly those in rural areas, and so the codification of Federal standards has been suggested.
Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the Department of Health and Human Services or local units of government.
Date Completed: 11-3-23 Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
[1] United States Food and Drug Administration, Best Way to Get Rid of Used Needles and Other Sharps, August 10, 2023.