Coronavirus: Iredell County Gives Guidance On Disposal Of Medical Waste

From the Iredell County Government:

Posted March 17, 2020

IREDELL COUNTY SOLID WASTE GUIDANCE REGARDING THE DISPOSAL OF MEDICAL WASTE

Although no special precautions have been issued by the Centers for Disease Control as it relates to the safe handling of household waste that comes from a home where a patient has had the novel coronavirus (COVID19), the Solid Waste department is asking all residents to ensure that their waste is properly bagged and tied up or otherwise sealed prior to disposal. This will ensure that Solid Waste workers do not come in contact with objects that could be contaminated with the virus. This is especially important in preventing the spread of the virus in the event an infection actually occurs within the County.

All Medical Facilities including hospitals, urgent cares, doctor offices and assisted living facilities are reminded that all regulated medical waste as defined by North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality or OSHA that contains blood, bodily fluids, infectious materials, pathogens and sharps is prohibited from disposal at any Iredell County Solid Waste Facility. Materials fitting this description should be handled as a type B waste and taken to a permitted medical waste disposal facility.

View guidance here

This press release was produced by the Iredell County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.