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August 16, 1985 to ,) I C, 0 1�_� - 16 YW\ Ms. Margaret Parrott Dameron Hospital 525 W. Acacia Stockton, CA 93103 Dear Ms. Parrott: In response to your inquiry, I am supplying you with relevant data on the acceptance of the new testing methods of the po methylene bags. With the new technologies in producing polyethylene film, it has been observed that "mil thickness" is no longer an adequate test for poly- ethylene strength. The American Society for Testing and Materials (A.S.T.M.) has developed a method to test the impact resistance of polyethylene film. This method is called the Free Falling Dart Method. The A.S.T.M. designation for this test method is D1709-67. This test method is conducted as follows: A conical -shaped weighted dart is dropped from.a_,height of 26 inches onto a stationery piece of polyethylene film with uniform mil thickness. Tfi4 drop is repeated over 5 different sections of the test film. If 50% of the drops fracture the polyethylene, the film fails at that dart weight, measured in grams. It is important to note that the results of the test are greatly influenced by the quality of the film under the test film. The A.S.T.M. also states that a correlation between test results and field perfocn=snce can hv.- established. The Free Falling Dart Method is used by the National Bureau of Standards in establishing standards for polyethylene sheeting. The N.B.S. developed the minimum Dart Impact in grams for various mil thickness. In December, 1983, California Administrative Code, Title 22, Division Four, Environ- mental Health, Article 18 - Infectious Waste, Paragraph F, states that r. "each bag shall be constructed of material of sufficient single thickness strength to pass the 165 Gram Dropped Dart Impact Resistant Test as pre- scribed by D1709-67 of the American Society of Testing and Materials, and