A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Properly Dispose of Medical Waste
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Raising awareness when it comes to environmental protection is of huge importance because by doing so, we will not only safeguard our planet Earth but our overall well-being as well. There are a number of ways people can do so.
One of the most effective ones is decreasing medical waste in any facility that's part of the healthcare industry. A lot of medical waste is incinerated to eliminate the risk of contamination, and, at the same time, lower the negative impact on human health.
Besides that, it’s worth mentioning that various reports show that medical waste management market expenses are expected to rise in the next couple of years, however, if the right waste management is implemented, that’s going to have a massive impact on all these numbers.
Now, if you would like to unveil the best ways to dispose of it, then just take a look at these tips but they are going to show you exactly how to do it.
Make Use Of Clinical Waste Bins
If you haven't heard of these bins in the past, then it's time to dive further into this topic. So what can be said about a clinical waste bin and how can you reap the benefits of it? Namely, it is a container that enables you to store all the waste that's generated in any healthcare environment.
The waste bag, the bin, or the lid that is inside of it are generally color-coded to identify the sort of clinical waste it is designed to have. Now, the question is, what typically goes into the clinical waste bins?
There are a lot of things that can be put into it, such as body fluids, visibly blood-stained materials, fluids, or equipment, and human tissue.
Be Sure To Fix Medical Equipment
Generally speaking, steel is commonly employed in various healthcare institutions, however, what you need to remember is that it is a finite resource. It’s of huge importance to repair any medical instruments that you are utilizing, because that’s going to decrease waste, and, simultaneously, preserve energy and resources.
Another smart thing that you can do is to fix electronic medical equipment too, instead of replacing it because that’s going to lower waste as well. Apart from that, if you acquire reconditioned medical equipment you will not only reduce waste, but you will also skimp on costs.
Time To Craft An Efficient Waste Management Plan
Having a thorough management plan is going to help you be productive and effective as far as this is concerned. So what is it supposed to include? It should consist of strategies that are going to help you manage regulated medical waste the right way.
If you want to be efficient to the maximum, then it would be advisable to share this idea with your co-workers, and concurrently, encourage them to join you in this endeavor. In addition, you should go through this plan at least once or twice a year for potential process or policy changes.
If you make any changes when it comes to this, then make sure to notify your employees about that.
What About Thermal Treatment?
Yes, this is definitely another great way to dispose of medical waste. So how does it work? It is executed by utilizing the high water content of medical waste. One of the most common methods as far as this is concerned is autoclaves.
It represents a pressure chamber that “collaborates” with high-pressure steam with a goal to destroy all the microorganisms that can be found in medical waste. Besides autoclaves, another tool that’s used in these types of situations is microwaving.
They offer high-intensity radio waves so they can provide enough energy to sterilize medical waste the right way. Both of these tools are utilized for regulated medical waste, like laboratory cultures and pathological waste.
It’s Essential To Separate Your Waste
Whenever you are able to, you should separate the waste at its point of origin. If you are already familiar with the waste stream basics, then the next step is to educate your workers about it and to provide them with the right training too.
It's of huge importance to effectively dispose of medical waste in any type of healthcare facility, such as outpatient surgical centers, hospitals, dental offices, clinics, and other similar institutions. Aside from that you should familiarize yourself with the regulations of the federal government, because, by doing so, you'll be capable of adhering to them, and, at the same time, safeguarding the environment.
Generally speaking, medical waste is divided into eight types, pharmaceutical, sharps, biological (items that are and aren’t related to blood), pathological, isolation, microbiological, and contaminated animal waste.
Replace Single-Use Products Instead Of Reusable Items
If you’ve been utilizing single-use products so far, then it’s time to replace them with reusable items. For instance, there are a lot of sharp containers and different medical instruments that you can disinfect and reuse.
Speaking of this, before you buy any products that you use on a regular basis, then you should check to see whether they can be reused. Besides that, you should also cast your eyes on the state regulations and instructions written by the product manufacturer, just to see if you are allowed to employ a particular product several times.
Moving On To Chemical Disinfection
Chemical disinfection utilizes different disinfectants such as iodine, chlorine, and/or formaldehyde in order to effectively decontaminate waste. It is commonly employed for:
- Lab waste – Things that are used in biological or medical laboratories
- Liquid waste – This refers to bodily fluids, blood, and other liquid waste
Even though there's no denying that this method is extremely efficient, it's pivotal to handle all these chemicals correctly and to know which chemicals can and cannot be used during this process.
Attach Signage
Be sure to put signage all across the facility you work in that depicts the sort of waste that people are allowed to put into containers. This type of reminder is going to help both your workforce and patients do the right thing.
