Have you noticed a more detailed invoice listing our specific fees? If so, we're here to explain what you're paying for. These fees have to do with regulations that require special handling of these materials, regulations that have increased costs to vets. Some vets might bundle the disposal cost in with the cost of the service, but perhaps the point of separating them out is so that clients can understand the pricing. We separate it out for clients to see exactly what they're paying for.
Biohazard fee: As the laws become more stringent and enforcement becomes more universal, it is becoming increasingly important that all veterinarians are not only aware of the regulations that apply to them but follow these to a T. Plain and simple, not following the law to the letter can put you and others in your practice in danger.
Remember, biohazardous material is any solid waste generated in the treatment of anything biological. That absolutely includes humans and animals.
Dealing with Your Biohazard Waste: Key Points for discussion - what goes into this process so we avoid violations!
Biohazardous medical waste needs to be stored, shipped, and treated properly to keep you from paying fines and to preserve the safety of anyone who encounters that waste. Therefore, always keep these key points in mind:
- Anything contaminated by blood is regulated medical waste, and it needs to go in a red bag—never the trash.
- Any needles or syringes used to administer animal vaccinations or to draw blood need to be put in a proper sharp bin before going in with the rest of the red bag waste.
- Ensure that anything designated for regulated medical waste disposal goes through the proper treatment process. For anything blood contaminated or in your sharps bins, that typically means being put through a medical waste autoclave. However, for specific subsets of regulated medical waste, such as pathological waste, medical waste autoclaves will not suffice. You will need to ensure treatment in a medical incinerator instead.
- Reach out to a company within the medical waste disposal industry if you're confused or unsure about what constitutes proper protocol. Whatever you pay in the cost of waste disposal is likely to be much cheaper than the fines you'd have to pay for violations.
Those require special disposal using a licensed company and they charge a lot for their services.
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