UNIVERSITY GUIDELINES FOR INCINERATION/DISPOSAL OF BIOHAZARDOUS MATERIALS

EHS will no longer be using campus incinerators to incinerate animals, full sharps containers and other biohazardous trash that must be incinerated (has not been autoclaved or chemically decontaminated). Incineration will be done off campus by BFI Medical Waste Systems of Lawrence, Mass. This new system will go into effect September 1. This memo forwards information from Jim Fox at EHS about new procedures for handling animals, full sharps containers and other biohazardous trash. Incineration pickups will continue to be on Mondays and Thursdays by EH&S. BFI will then pickup from central location(s) on Tuesdays and Fridays.

BFI has very specific packaging and labeling requirements which are different from our current campus requirements. Jim Fox mentions some of these in his memo below. Jim will be distributing packaging materials and talking to individuals in labs about these new procedures.

Please share this information with your researchers and staff who use incineration services and have them contact Valerie Steinberg as soon as possible. EHS would like to make this transition as smooth as possible so there is no break in services for anyone. Thanks for your help.

The final details prior to initiating off-site incineration services September 1 with BFI are being concluded. Beginning early that week, EHS will deliver supplies (4.5 or 9.0 cubic-foot boxes, plastic liners, tape, etc.) to researchers who request supplies. Please email ASAP your designees and their needs. BFI will pick up Tuesday and Friday each week at University Health Services.

1. We will provide sufficient supplies to accomodate the generation pattern (BFI can deliver supplies each week, if necessary; we plan to store a few weeks of supplies).
2. Each generator will accumulate their wastes until either the box is full or it reaches 60 pounds. It is extremely important that generators comply with the BFI protocol, which will be supplied to to any reseacher upon request for circulation to affected groups.
3. The generator will complete the ID label on the exterior of the box.
4. Call EHS at 5-2682 for a pickup.
5. EHS will pickup on Monday and Thursday; inspect the box(es) for integrity and complete labeling (any sign of leakage to the cardboard will result in rejection by the vendor; therefore, if we find a leakage problem, we will not accept it). EHS will then transport to the UHS refrigerator for addition to the inventory.
6. EHS will fill-out the mandatory commonwealth manifest and other paperwork for the BFI driver who will pickup the next day.
7. EHS will handle invoicing and payment as well as the required data for the regulatory agencies.
8. Please contact Jim Fox (jpfox@uhs.umass.edu) if any of this presents a problem, or if you have suggests. EHS hopes to make the transition as smooth as possible for the research community.

James P. Fox, Manager, HWM Services
eh&s/Morrill N-414, Univ. of MA/Amherst 01003-5710
email: jpfox@uhs.umass.edu
phone: 413.545.5117