COVID-19: MUA Urges Residents with Confirmed CV-19 Virus to Use Extra Safety with Trash Disposal
Published on May 21, 2020
Medical Waste Requires Special Disposal
Household Refuse
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The Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority, following the guidance of the state, is advising families of residents with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and those under cautionary quarantine to take extra precautions when disposing of household trash.
According to state Department of Environmental Protection recommendations, trash from these households should be double bagged using regular trash bags, properly closed, and tightly tied to avoid leakage. Bags should be placed in rigid trash disposal containers while outdoors prior to pickup to avoid human or animal contact with the refuse.
These measures are designed for the safety of residents and disposal crews.
Medical Waste
(PNG, 121KB)MUA Solid Waste Coordinator James Deacon also urged institutions, such as health care facilities and hospitals, to also be guided by NJDEP's COVID-19 waste management rules.
Red medical waste bags or biohazard bags generated by institutions and/or county residents must not be disposed of in curbside trash cans that are collected by municipal waste haulers.
Only licensed medical waste contractors are allowed to collect and dispose of filled red medical waste bags.
The MCMUA's garbage transfer station inspectors have seen an uptick in the number of red medical waste bags coming to us through regular trash disposal,'' said Deacon. "When these bags show up at the transfer stations, the facilities must be shut down to guarantee the safety of employees and to ensure that regulated medical waste is not being improperly disposed.
Transfer Stations
In addition, county residents are asked to refrain from traveling to the county's two garbage transfer stations located in Mt. Olive and Parsippany during the COVID-19 crisis. Because of social distancing requirements, it is difficult for the scale masters to safely interact with residents who show up at the transfer stations.
Unless it is essential that the household trash be disposed of immediately, residents should utilize curbside pickup by their waste hauler or wait until towns are again collecting bulky waste collections.
More Information
For information about proper disposal of medical waste, household garbage, or details about municipal recycling, go to www.MCMUA.com for details.
(JPG, 251KB) Please double bag household trash if someone in your home has COVID-19 or is suspected to have the virus