Poor disposal of medical waste is a serious health hazard as it not only affects us but the environment as well. Have you ever wondered where the wastes such as gloves, syringes, chemicals, medicines, or even blood samples that are used in hospitals are taken? Well, most facilities that have good healthcare solutions waste management plans to ensure that all the waste is well disposed of. What is healthcare waste? It refers to highly infectious waste, which is generated from the healthcare facilities. With that said, let us now dig deeper into healthcare waste management.
Types of healthcare waste
There are different types of medical waste, and they include;
1. Sharp waste
As the name suggests, sharp wastes refer to the items that can easily pierce or cut the skin. This type of waste, in fact, is considered among the most hazardous medical waste. Examples of sharp waste include syringes, staples, scalpels, and surgery knives, among others.
2. Infectious waste
This refers to waste that contains pathogens and is highly infectious in that it can easily cause infections to the people handling. Most of this waste is contaminated with blood, such as bandages, blood bags, swabs, and so on.
3. Radioactive waste
Radioactive waste results from medical equipment that uses radioactive isotopes or from radioactive diagnosis and treatments. Cancer therapy waste is a good example of radioactive waste.
4. Chemical waste
Examples of chemical waste include disinfectants, reagents, and solvents used in laboratories, heavy metals such as mercury, which is found from broken mercury thermometers.
5. Biodegradable waste and recyclable waste
Biodegradable waste refers to waste that is used to produce biogas or compost through anaerobic digestion (bio digestion) or composition, respectively. Recyclable waste, on the other hand, refers to waste that can be recycled, such as plastic, paper, etc.
6. Pharmaceutical Waste
This refers to expired or contaminated drugs and vaccines, pills, antibiotics, and injectables.
Stages of waste disposal in medical facilities
Waste goes through various stages before it is disposed to ensure that it is well handled and to avoid any contaminations. The first stage is the collection of waste, which is then separated accordingly. This is a crucial step as it helps in identifying the type of wastes in terms of how infectious they are and so on. Secondly, the waste is stored in the right packages or containers, which are often identified by color and labels. This ensures that there is no confusion when it comes to picking up the waste for disposal. Lastly, the waste is then disposed of through chemical disinfection, incineration, or biological treatments.
Why is healthcare waste management vital?
All medical facilities should ensure that they have the right healthcare solutions waste management plan as it increases employee and patient safety. The people that work in hospitals, as well as the patients, are at a very high risk of contaminating diseases if the waste is not well handled. Significantly more, proper disposal of medical waste saves our environment.
