OSHA: Heavily Soiled Linens Are Not Regulated Waste

OSHA has confirmed that LTC facilities and other healthcare providers are not required to dispose of contaminated linen as "regulated waste" and that OSHA's regulatory standard governing regulated waste is not meant to apply to linens that are laundered and reused.

OSHA examined the issue after it was brought to the agency's attention by the Association for Linen Management (ALM) and American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA). They were concerned about the practice of placing heavily soiled linens in red bags, which is a sign to laundry operators that the bags must go to a waste department for disposal.

Rather than placing the linens in red bags, the ALM recommends that facilities place heavily soiled linens in impermeable bags so that they do not leak on the way to the laundry.

ALM noted that some facilities place linens contaminated by residents with C. diff in the red bags because they believe the infection is so virulent that the linens must be destroyed rather than washed. This is not the case, according to the ALM. Instead, the linens can be laundered using the requirements set by CMS.

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