BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 762 SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Senator S. Joseph Simitian, Chairman 2011-2012 Regular Session BILL NO: AB 762 AUTHOR: Smyth AMENDED: May 11, 2011 FISCAL: No HEARING DATE: June 27, 2011 URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Caroll Mortensen SUBJECT : MEDICAL WASTE SUMMARY : Existing law : 1) Requires that various types of medical waste be segregated except in the case where it is to be treated with an alternative technology using extremely high heat and approved by the Department of Public Health (DPH) (Health and Safety Code §118275). 2) Allows for the incineration of various types of medical waste (§118275). 3) Provides that reusable containers may be used under specified conditions (§§118295 and 118305). This bill : 1) Authorizes various types of medical waste to be comingled if it is to be treated by incineration. 2) Permits the use of a reusable container for comingled medical waste. COMMENTS : 1) Purpose of Bill . According to the author: "Senate Bill (SB) 419?Chapter 477, statutes of 2004 ? allowĘs] consolidation of the medical waste stream if it is sent for high heat treatment of at least 1300 degrees Fahrenheit in AB 762 Page 2 an alternative treatment technology. ?high heat alternative treatment technologies have not developed due to high development costs and the inability to operate them in a cost-efficient manner. ? Over time and with no alternative high heat treatment being introduced, some hospitals used the SB 419 provision incorrectly to consolidate sharps and pharmaceutical wastes into a single container and sending it for incineration." 2) Amendment needed . AB 762 should be amended to clarify that the consolidation provisions only apply to sharps and pharmaceuticals and not to other medical wastes such as biohazards or pathology wastes. SOURCE : California Hospital Association SUPPORT : Association of California Health Care Districts Kaiser Permanente OPPOSITION : None on file