What Do Hospitals Do with Contaminated Medical Devices

Hospitals have several options for their medical waste disposal. However, the disposal method they use will mostly depend on the volume of medical waste they generate on a regular basis.

When it comes to contaminated medical devices, however, hospitals employ more stringent procedures to ensure that contaminate landfills and spread their infection to nearby water sources.

There are two main methods used by hospitals to dispose of contaminated medical devices. One is through incineration which is a process that involves burning medical waste inside a controlled environment.

This is mostly done using an on-site incineration technology which allows hospitals to reduce the total volume of medical waste they generate before they transport them to a nearby landfill. It’s actually a cost-effective method since they’ll be able to save thousands of dollars per load.

The other method is called autoclaving which uses steam for sterilizing contaminated medical devices. This process can kill microorganisms that can be the cause of infection. 

This process uses a closed chamber system that introduces heat or steam to sterilize medical waste. It’s often used in hospitals for sterilizing their tools and equipment, mainly sharps.

Not all hospitals have access to either of these methods. Some that don’t have such facilities tend to rely on traditional hospital waste segregation methods for their waste disposal. This means they have to take extra precautions while doing so to ensure they comply with the regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency.