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House committee advances Johnson bill to study medical-waste disposal
Summary
A House committee adopted a DE1 amendment to House File 4017 that converts the measure into a statewide study of medical-waste disposal practices after Representative Johnson described reports of hospitals and surgery centers failing to separate regulated medical waste, posing safety and cleanup costs.
A Minnesota House committee voted to adopt a DE1 amendment to House File 4017 that turns the proposal into a study of medical-waste disposal practices, Representative Johnson said during the committee meeting.
Representative Johnson told the committee the amendment is the product of extensive stakeholder work and shifts the focus from enforcement to investigation. “The DE amendment is basically a result of a lot of work done on this,” he said, adding that the change would establish a study and that “the results would be brought forward next year.”
Johnson described repeated instances he said occurred in the Twin Cities where hospitals and surgery centers were not separating regulated medical waste — “body parts, blood, gauze, syringes,” he said — and said the problem has recurred despite a long-standing legal requirement. “This is a law actually that you had to do this separation back to 1989,” Johnson said.
He argued the practice creates safety risks for county and facility workers who handle incoming trash and can force recycling or energy-from-waste facilities to shut down for cleanup and investigation, incurring charges to counties. “It’s a safety issue. It’s a money issue,” Johnson said.
The committee adopted the DE1 amendment by voice vote after the chair moved for its adoption; the chair announced, “The DE 1 is adopted to House File 40 17.” With no further member discussion, the chair renewed the motion that House File 40 17 as amended be referred to the general register, and members again voiced their approval.
Representative Johnson closed by thanking coauthors Representative Heintzeman and Representative Lilly and others who worked on the bill. Under the amendment, staff are to study the scope and causes of regulated medical-waste disposal failures and report back as specified in the DE1 language.
