PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1625, 2499 PRINTER'S NO. 2532
No. 1320 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SIPTROTH, BELFANTI, BROOKS, CARROLL, CURRY,
FRANKEL, GRUCELA, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA,
LENTZ, MURT, PALLONE, PAYNE, PEIFER, PETRONE, SCHRODER,
SOLOBAY, THOMAS, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD, FABRIZIO, CALTAGIRONE AND
SCAVELLO, MAY 18, 2007
AS RE-REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 1, 2007
AN ACT
1 Providing for a program for the disposal of home-generated
2 medical sharps, and for powers and duties of the Department
3 of Environmental Protection.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Home-
8 Generated Medical Sharps Disposal Act.
9 Section 2. Findings.
10 The General Assembly finds that:
11 (1) Each year, according to the Environmental Protection
12 Agency, more than three billion medical sharps are used by
13 individuals in their homes.
14 (2) Typically, these medical sharps are put into the
15 household trash, where they become a health hazard for other
16 members of the household and for sanitation workers.
1 (3) The hazard includes not only the discomfort of a
2 needle-stick injury, but also the risk of contracting an
3 infectious disease from a contaminated medical sharp.
4 (4) Regulating the disposal of home-generated medical
5 sharps will further the public health and safety of
6 Commonwealth residents.
7 Section 3. Definitions.
8 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
9 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10 context clearly indicates otherwise:
11 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
12 the Commonwealth.
13 "Home-generated medical sharp." A sharp used by an
14 individual at home.
15 "Medical sharp." A needle, syringe, lancet or other sharp
16 object used for medical testing or for delivery of medication.
17 Section 4. Home-generated medical sharp disposal program.
18 The department may (A) AUTHORIZATION.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL <--
19 develop and implement a Statewide program for the safe,
20 convenient and cost-effective disposal of home-generated medical
21 sharps. The program may provide for a variety of methods of
22 disposal, including:
23 (1) use of mail-back programs;
24 (2) community-based drop-off sites;
25 (3) municipal hazardous waste drop-off sites;
26 (4) special curbside pickup service; or
27 (5) home needle destruction devices.
28 The program may <--
29 (B) PUBLIC EDUCATION.--THE PROGRAM SHALL include an <--
30 educational component designed to inform the public about safe
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1 disposal of home-generated medical sharps and to promote the
2 public's use of the program for safe disposal of home-generated
3 medical sharps.
4 Section 5. Development and implementation.
5 The department may (A) GENERAL RULE.--SUBJECT TO THE <--
6 PROVISIONS OF SUBSECTION (B), THE DEPARTMENT SHALL develop the
7 program within 12 months of the effective date of this section
8 and may SHALL implement the program within 18 months of the <--
9 effective date of this section.
10 (B) FUNDING CONTINGENCY.--THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT COMMENCE <--
11 DEVELOPMENT OR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM UNTIL FUNDING IS
12 APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
13 Section 6. Effective date.
14 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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