Legislation, Policies, and Guidelines Governing Health Care Wastes

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining international agreements, Philippine Republic Acts, Presidential Decrees, and administrative orders regulating health care waste management.

Montreal Protocol (1987)

An international agreement that aims to eliminate ozone-depleting substances.

Basel Convention (1989)

An international agreement that controls transboundary movements and disposal of hazardous wastes.

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)

An international agreement that includes a non-binding pledge on greenhouse-gas reductions.

Stockholm Convention (2001)

An international agreement that protects human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

ASEAN Framework Agreement on Goods in Transit (1998)

An agreement whose Protocol 9 addresses the transport of dangerous/toxic and infectious substances.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Chemicals that remain unchanged in the environment for long periods, accumulate in the fatty tissues of living organisms, and are toxic to humans and wildlife.

Republic Act No. 4226

The Hospital Licensure Act (1965).

DOH AO 70-A s. 2002

Department of Health order establishing revised rules for registration, licensure, and operation of hospitals and other health facilities.

DOH AO 2005-0029

Department of Health order requiring a health care waste management plan as a licensing requirement.

DOH AO 2007-0027

Department of Health order requiring written procedures for health care waste disposal and biosafety/biosecurity policies.

Republic Act No. 6969

The Control of Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Act (1990), requiring registration of waste generators, transporters, and operators of treatment facilities with the EMB.

DENR AO 36, Series of 2004

Administrative order revising DENR AO 29, Series of 1992 and strengthening implementation of RA 6969 regarding waste classification, generators, transporters, storage, TSD facilities, and manifest systems.

DOH-DENR Joint Administrative Order No. 02 (2005)

Joint order providing guidelines for handling, collection, transport, storage, treatment, and disposal of health care waste, clarifying jurisdiction between DENR and DOH.

DOH Administrative Order 2007-0014

Policy providing guidelines for Certificates of Product Registration (CPR) for equipment and devices used to treat sharps, pathological, and infectious waste.

Republic Act No. 8749

The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, which prohibits incineration of bio-medical wastes effective July 17, 2003, and promotes environmentally sound non-burn technologies.

Republic Act No. 9003

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, mandating segregation of solid wastes at the source and requiring a separate container for each waste type.

Republic Act No. 9275

The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, pursuing economic growth consistent with the protection, preservation, and revival of fresh, brackish, and marine waters.

PD 813 & EO 927

Decree and Executive Order strengthening the functions of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and granting jurisdiction over surface waters of the Laguna Lake basin.

PD 856

The Code on Sanitation, governing sewage collection and excreta disposal (Chapter XVII) as well as municipal refuse disposal systems (Chapter XVIII).

DOH AO 2010-0033

Department of Health administrative order addressing disposal of remains from certain communicable diseases, requiring airtight containment and biohazard tagging.

Presidential Decree No. 984

1976 revision of the Pollution Control Law governing the discharge of potentially polluting substances to air and water.

DENR AO 26 (1992)

Department order regulating Pollution Control Officer designation, qualifications, reporting, duties, and responsibilities.

PD 1586

The Environmental Impact Statement System (1978), requiring projects such as new hospital buildings or expansions to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

EO 301

The Green Procurement Program (2004), promoting environmentally informed government decisions and environmental criteria in public tenders.

DOH AO 2008-0021

Department of Health administrative order mandating the gradual phaseout of mercury in Philippine health care facilities.

PhilHealth Benchbook (2006)

Reference manual that includes health care waste management as a quality-assurance parameter.

BFAD MC No. 22 (1994) & Bureau Circular No. 16 (1999)

Circulars concerning inventory, proper disposal, and destruction of used vials or bottles to prevent proliferation of counterfeit drugs.