Editing Biosafety (section)

==== Medical waste management in the United States ====
{{See also|Medical Waste Tracking Act}}
[[Medical waste]] management was identified as an issue in the 1980s, with the [[Medical Waste Tracking Act]] of 1988<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|title=Regulated Biohazard Waste Regulations|url=http://biohazardwasteregulations.com/|website=Biohazard Waste Regulations|access-date=18 October 2016|archive-date=24 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024052606/http://biohazardwasteregulations.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the new standard in biohazard [[waste disposal]].

Although the Federal Government, EPA & DOT provide some oversight of regulated medical waste storage, transportation, and disposal the majority of biohazard medical waste is regulated at the state level.<ref name="auto1"/> Each state is responsible for regulation and management of their own biohazardous waste with each state varying in their regulatory process. Record keeping of biohazardous waste also varies between states.

Medical healthcare centers, hospitals veterinary clinics, clinical laboratories and other facilities generate over one million tons of waste each year.<ref name="auto1"/> Although the majority of this waste is as harmless as common household waste, as much as 15 percent of this waste poses a potential infection hazard, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).<ref name="auto1"/> Medical waste is required to be rendered non-infectious before it can be disposed of.<ref name="auto1"/> There are several different methods to treat and dispose of biohazardous waste. In the United States, the primary methods for treatment and disposal of biohazard, medical and sharps waste may include:<ref name="auto1"/>
* [[Incineration]]
* Microwave
* [[Autoclaves]]
* Mechanical/Chemical Disinfection
*[[Irradiation]]

Different forms of biohazardous wasted required different treatments for their proper waste management. This is determined largely be each states regulations.