BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 333
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 333 (Wieckowski)
As Amended May 8, 2013
Majority vote
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 7-0
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Alejo, Dahle, Bloom, |Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, |
| |Donnelly, Chesbro, Stone, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Ting | |Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| | | |Hall, Rendon, Linder, |
| | | |Pan, Quirk, Wagner, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Makes technical and conforming changes to the Medical
Waste Management Act (MWMA). Specifically, this bill :
1)Deletes the existing definition of "biohazard bag," and
instead replaces it with the definition in the Code of Federal
Regulations.
2)Amends the definition of "medical waste management plan" to
specify that the document that is completed by generators of
medical waste describes how the medical waste generated at
their facility shall be segregated, handled, stored, packaged,
treated, or shipped for treatment, as applicable. Specifies
that the medical waste management plan is to be completed on
forms prepared by the enforcement agency, only if those forms
are provided by the enforcement agency.
3)Requires a solid waste transporter who discovers that he or
she has (unknowingly) hauled untreated medical waste to a
landfill or materials recovery facility to contact the
originating generator of the medical waste to respond to the
landfill or recovery facility to provide ultimate proper
disposal of the medical waste.
4)Clarifies that statutory requirements for treatment of
carcasses of animals that die of infectious diseases includes
those that are euthanized because they are suspected of having
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been exposed to infectious disease.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill would result in an unknown additionally,
but likely minor costs, to the Department of Public Health.
COMMENTS :
Need for the bill : According to supporters of the bill,
"Twenty-three years ago when the Medical Waste Management Act
was enacted, California became one of the first states in the
Nation setting statutory standards governing this waste stream.
During these intervening years, there have been many changes in
medical waste treatment, transportation oversight, and new
requirements by landfill and waste water treatment operators
regarding acceptance of portions of this waste stream. The
purpose of AB 333 is to update the Act. Since enactment of the
Medical Waste Management Act, the federal Department of
Transportation (DOT) has increased its regulatory oversight of
transportation of medical waste which preempts state law.
Similarly, the United States Postal Service (USPS) requirements
for the mail back of medical waste also preempt state law. [AB
333] would repeal transportation requirements from the Medical
Waste Management Act in favor of the preemptive DOT and USPS
standards."
Medical waste : Medical waste is waste materials generated at
health care facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, physician's
offices, dental practices, blood banks, and veterinary hospitals
and clinics, as well as medical research facilities and
laboratories. Medical waste can contain pathogens, blood, low
levels of radioactivity, discarded needles, syringes, scalpels,
expired drugs and vaccines, which can pose a hidden risk of
infection, radioactivity exposure and needle-stick injuries.
Analysis Prepared by : Bob Fredenburg / E.S. & T.M. / (916)
319-3965
FN: 0000575
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