ENVIRONMENTAL FINAL GOVERNING STANDARDS ITALY

ITALY - 8 Medical Waste Management
C8.3.6.6.2.3. Sterilizers’ effectiveness shall be validated prior to the initial use,
after repairs, and at least every two years. Results of the validation test shall be recorded. The
effectiveness of sterilizers must be checked at least weekly using Bacillus stearo thermophilus
spore strips or an equivalent biological performance test. Results of the tests shall be recorded in
the sterilization log book.
C8.3.6.6.3. Sterilization or disinfection conducted at the waste-generating medical
facility does not require a permit, provided it treats waste coming from that medical facility only.
Prior to initial operation, medical facilities conducting sterilization or disinfection of their
medical waste shall provide notification to the Italian Base Commander.
C8.3.6.6.4. Incineration of infectious waste may be performed in dedicated
incinerators or in urban waste incineration plants or special waste incineration plants, provided
infectious waste is not mixed with other waste prior to being introduced in the kiln eye and the
plant feeding system does not involve direct contact between the operators and the waste.
C8.3.6.6.5. Incineration of infectious waste presenting hazardous characteristics
other than the infectious characteristic shall only be performed in permitted hazardous waste
incineration plants.
plants:
C8.3.6.6.6. Sterilized medical waste may be shipped to the following treatment
C8.3.6.6.6.1. Non-hazardous waste landfills. Landfilling of sterilized infectious
medical waste is permitted only in the absence of an incinerator in the Region where the waste is
generated and it requires the prior approval of the President of the Region.
C8.3.6.6.6.2. Urban waste incineration plants
C8.3.6.6.6.3. Special waste incineration plants
C8.3.6.6.6.4. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) production plants
C8.3.6.6.6.5. Permitted plants which use medical waste for energy recovery.
C8.3.6.6.7. Only permitted incinerators shall be used to treat hazardous medical
waste (see Chapter 6, “Hazardous Waste”). The incinerator must be designed and operated to
maintain a minimum temperature and retention time sufficient to destroy all infectious agents
and pathogens, and must meet applicable criteria in Chapter 2, “Air Emissions.”
C8.3.6.6.8. Ash or residue from the incineration of infectious medical waste is
classified as hazardous waste and shall be managed accordingly.
C8.3.6.7. Contingency Plans
C8.3.6.7.1. Installations will develop contingency plans for treatment or disposal of
infectious medical waste should the primary means become inoperable.
September 2012 Italy FGS 8-11
Revision 0