8.38.070 Requirements and Standards for Transporters.
A. Applicability. The requirements of this Section apply to all transportation of infectious waste over roads or highways, by railroad, or by water conveyance. No person shall transport or receive for transport any infectious waste that is not in accordance with this Chapter.
B. Permit Required. Any person who transports infectious waste shall have a valid and appropriate infectious waste management permit (IWMP) Class II issued by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, as well as a transportation permit from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, where required.
A generator of infectious wastes holding a valid IWMP Class I-A or I-B, who transports only infectious wastes generated at the premises owned or operated by the generator, is exempt from the Class II permit fee and requirements of this Section.
C. Labeling and Placards of Infectious Waste Transport Vehicles.
1. The access doors to any area holding infectious waste in transport shall have a warning sign legible at a distance of 25 feet that indicates that the cargo is infectious waste.
2. Vehicles transporting infectious waste shall be identified on each side of the vehicle with the name or trademark of the transporter, the Health Department permit number, city or place in which the vehicle is customarily based, and conspicuously-displayed signs or decals with the words "INFECTIOUS WASTE" or "BIOMEDICAL WASTE", or with the international biohazard symbol and the word "Biohazard". Such identifying labeling shall be on a background of contrasting color and shall be readily legible during daylight from a distance of 50 feet.
D. Receipt and Transfer of Infectious Waste to Off-site Facilities.
1. An infectious waste transporter shall not receive custody of infectious wastes from a facility not possessing a valid and appropriate infectious waste management permit.
2. Infectious waste shall be transported to an off-site facility in a leak-proof, fully enclosed container or vehicle compartment.
3. Infectious waste, other than that generated in and disposed with residential solid wastes from single-family dwelling units, where allowable, shall not be transported in the same container or vehicle compartment with other wastes.
4. Infectious waste shall not be stored more than 48 hours at any off-site location or facility, except at a waste storage or treatment facility or other facility for which there is a valid and appropriate Class III infectious waste management permit. At such a facility, the infectious waste shall be kept in a secured area separate from other wastes.
5. Infectious waste shall be delivered for treatment or disposal only to a facility for which there is a valid permit to handle such wastes.
6. Persons manually loading or unloading containers of infectious waste to or from transport vehicles shall be provided by their employer, and required to wear, gloves that are impermeable to liquids, clean protective clothing, and face shields. Respirators may be required, where appropriate.
7. Surface areas of equipment used to transport infectious waste must be clean and impermeable to liquids, if those areas are involved with the management of waste. Porous floor coverings shall not be used. Vermin and insects shall be controlled. Surfaces of transport vehicles that have contacted spilled or leaked infectious waste shall be decontaminated by procedures as described in Section 8.38.050(C)(2)(h) of this Chapter. All drainage shall discharge directly to, or through a holding tank to, a permitted sanitary sewer system.
E. Management of Infectious Waste Spills.
1. In the event of a spill, spilled waste must be immediately removed according to procedures listed in Section 8.38.110 of this Chapter using the spill containment and cleanup equipment and materials to effect decontamination.
2. All spills must be reported by personnel to employer, and records of spills must be kept for three years. Any spill that has a volume greater than 32 gallons of solid waste or one liter of liquid waste must be reported to the Department by phone call, within 48 hours, describing the spill and cleanup.
3. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department shall be contacted immediately when a spill in transit occurs within Tacoma-Pierce County via the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.
F. Compaction of Infectious Waste. Under no circumstances shall infectious wastes be compacted prior to or during transport unless wastes have been rendered non-infectious by methods described in this Chapter.
G. Temperature Controlled Storage Period.
1. Any infectious waste being transported or stored after a seven-day storage period at the generating facility shall have 48 hours to be treated and rendered non-infectious or shall be subject to the following transportation and storage temperature requirements:
a. Refrigeration at a temperature between 1° C to 7° C (34° F to 45° F) for up to seven days.
b. Refrigeration at a temperature at or below 0° C (32° F) for periods up to 90 days.
c. Daily temperature logs shall be maintained.
H. Record Keeping (see Section 8.38.120 of this Chapter).