Medical Waste Disposal Quote
Kevin Noel
How do Hospitals Dispose of Biohazard Waste
Hospitals dispose of biohazard waste on-site, off-site, and even through the mail. Through each of these methods, the waste ultimately needs to be treated to eliminate any potentially infectious materials before final disposal. Healthcare waste disposal is heavily regulated and it is essential that all regulated medical waste is sterilized to kill any potentially infectious or harmful agents.
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Key Takeaways
Hospital Disposal of Healthcare Waste Options
Hospitals have 3 options for disposing of their healthcare waste:
On-site treatment:
With on-site treatment, the medical waste generator would need to have treatment equipment at their facility such as an incinerator, autoclave, or microwave technology.
Off-site treatment:
With off-site treatment, a medical waste disposal company will pick up your medical waste containers and haul them away to a treatment facility that has incinerators, autoclaves, or microwave technology.
Mail away:
With a mail away solution, the medical waste generator mails their waste away to a treatment facility.
The majority of hospitals have their healthcare waste treated off-site and hauled away by a medical waste disposal company for treatment. On-site treatment is not practical for most facilities because it requires expensive equipment, maintenance, and space. Mail away options can be great if you generate a very small amount of medical waste - but are not a good option for hospitals generating moderate or substantial amounts of waste.
Infectious Waste Treatment Options
The most common methods of infectious waste treatment are:
Autoclave
Autoclave treatment disinfects medical waste by using steam sterilization and high pressure to kill any infectious agents. Autoclaving is a safe and effective method for treating waste and has much less harmful emissions than incineration.
Incineration
Incineration involves burning medical waste at extremely high temperatures which results in ashes and gases. The waste is loaded into an incinerator and burned at over 800 degrees Celsius to destroy pathogens.
Microwave
Microwave treatment uses microwave radiation to generate heat within the waste. The waste is loaded into a microwave chamber and exposed to microwaves that effectively kill all pathogens.
An essential part of medical waste generation is ensuring medical waste is properly disinfected. Medical waste can contain blood or other potentially infectious materials that cause disease and often contain hazardous waste which can be harmful to the environment. After the waste is treated, it becomes non hazardous waste and can be disposed of like regular waste.
What is the most common method of disposal for Healthcare facilities?
The most common method of hospital waste disposal is still incineration. Before 1997, over 90% of all infectious waste was incinerated.
Incineration has been losing popularity in recent years due to environmental concerns, regulations such as emission standards, and the high costs of incineration - but is still the most common treatment method.
What is the best method to dispose of hospital waste?
The best method to dispose of hospital waste is a combination of treatment methods.
The best method for one stream of waste can be the worst for another stream of regulated medical waste. The container the waste goes into dictates the final destination of the waste. This is one of the reasons why medical waste generated is segregated and placed into the appropriate container.
Healthcare Waste Segregation and Responsibilities
Healthcare waste needs to be properly segregated based on the waste streams a facility generates. Sharps waste, pharmaceutical waste, pathological waste, biohazardous waste, trace chemotherapy waste, and hazardous waste each have their own container to ensure the waste is disposed of with the correct medical waste treatment methods.
Pharmaceutical waste and pathological waste needs to be treated using medical waste incinerators, so placing it into the wrong container means it will not be disposed of appropriately.
Ultimately, health care facilities are responsible for their medical waste disposal until the point of final disposal under cradle to grave requirements.
Clinical Waste Regulations
Clinical waste has a variety of state and federal regulations. From occupational safety regulations related to handling medical waste, medical waste tracking documents, appropriate treatment methods, waste segregation, storage and accumulation requirements, required trainings, and varying regulations by state - it can get confusing.
It is best to always refer to your state regulations or a licensed medical waste company for guidance. There is no shortage of medical waste regulation and lack of compliance can result in hefty fines, injury to staff, and environmental pollution.
Why is Medical Waste Regulated?
Medical waste is heavily regulated because it poses health hazards and medical waste pollution is extremely harmful to the environment. Before the 1980's, hospital waste was not regulated like it is today. The regulations we have today are a result of bloodborne pathogens transmissions and medical waste pollution incidents that made it evident additional regulations such as the medical waste tracking act were necessary to protect human health and the environment.
Best Practices for Healthcare Waste Management
Most medical waste problems can be avoided by following best practices such as:
1) Follow all state and federal regulations for healthcare waste
Medical waste is regulated to protect us. Following all guidelines for generation, storage, preparation, transportation, and disposal is a great way to protect your facility.
2) Properly classify and segregate medical wastes
Use color coding to ensure your medical waste streams go into the correct container. If medical waste goes into the wrong container, it can end up being disposed of using the wrong treatment method or causing injury.
3) Wear Adequate PPE
Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment when handling clinical waste. Since bloodborne pathogens can be transmitted through open skin, always wear gloves and any other PPE necessary to protect yourself.
4) Trainings and Safety Plans
Stay up to date on all trainings such as bloodborne pathogens training, regulated medical waste transportation training, and ensure all safety plans are up to date and compliant.
All of the best practices for handling clinical waste is outlined by regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, and Centers for Disease Control regulates medical waste to protect workers and the environment. By following all of their guidelines, you can ensure a reduced risk of injury and proper disposal of waste generated.
Regulated Medical Waste Management Solutions
Eco Medical waste offers regulated medical waste disposal for all medical waste types:
- Sharps waste - Used needles, syringes, lancets
- Biohazardous waste - PPE contaminated with blood, body fluids with visible blood, cultures or stocks
- Pharmaceutical waste - Unused medications or drugs
- Hazardous waste - chemical waste or hazardous pharmaceuticals
- Pathological waste - Organs and human tissues
- Trace Chemo Waste - Waste that was in contact with chemotherapeutic agents
Prioritizing your health care waste compliance is essential to saving money, protecting healthcare workers, and ensuring your waste does not cause environmental harm. We have been servicing medical waste disposal in California since 2013. If you are looking for a compliant and local solution, contact us for your medical waste needs.
We used to use a National Company but they just kept jacking our fees up all the time. We switched to Eco Medical Waste and they cut our invoices in half.
Eco Medical Waste is always professional and timely. We appreciate their business and services.
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We offer medical waste disposal and management in all of California. Eco Medical was founded in far Northern California and has rapidly expanded to cover the entirety of California.
