3 Things You Must Know About Medical Waste Disposal

Medical waste is some of the most dangerous waste out there, so knowing how to dispose of it properly is crucial. If you deal with medical waste at home, such as caring for a loved one’s medical issues, using sharps for diabetics, or using chemical disinfectants, you must understand proper disposal procedures.

Protect Yourself From Biohazard Waste

Medical waste presents a biohazard, as it deals with contaminated materials that can spread germs and disease. Biohazard waste includes petri dishes, culture flasks, infectious bacteria, items contaminated with human waste, paper towels used to clean infectious spills, and any human or animal blood or anatomical specimens.

Treat all biohazard waste with due care, and dispose of it using a professional removal service licensed to handle biohazard material. Medical facilities use special containers for biohazard waste, usually red in color and labeled clearly with biohazard warnings. Professionals must handle biohazard material with the proper safety equipment, such as gloves, masks, and personal sterilization procedures.

Diminish Environmental Impact

Regulating medical waste is imperative to protecting the environment. Hospitals produce an incredible amount of waste every day, but most of it is highly regulated for human and environmental safety. Medical facilities have the dual responsibility of keeping people safe and protecting the environment from harmful waste.

Sharps containers significantly reduce medical waste. One reusable sharps container prevents hundreds of disposable ones from ending up in a landfill. Sharps containers also prevent sharps-related injuries that can transmit diseases. Lined pharmaceutical containers for the disposal of medication prevent dangerous chemicals from leaking into the soil and water supply.

Common recycling practices, such as placing cardboard, uncontaminated glass, and plastics in a recycling bin, go a long way toward diminishing a medical facility’s environmental impact.

Trust Licensed Medical Waste Collection

A licensed waste removal company must collect medical waste. Packaging and disposing of medical waste presents a biohazard to those who don’t have the proper safety equipment. Your facility should have a designated company that disposes of medical waste properly.