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How to Effectively Dispose of Biomedical Waste

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Medical waste can be infectious and hazardous and could potentially cause harm to both humans and the environment. Hence, WHO recommends proper medical waste disposal by healthcare providers and hospitals. When it comes to biomedical waste, there are different ways to dispose it.

Some of these methods include:


1.      Incineration

Incineration is a quick, easy, and simple biomedical waste disposal that helps to effectively and safely get rid of waste and microorganisms. This process is a dry oxidation technique that comprises high temperatures to convert organic and combustible waste to inorganic and incombustible matter.

It works bests for wastes such as dressing materials, human waste (body fluids, body parts, tissues, blood), and animal waste. Although this method is effective, it presents some risks because the emissions from burning hazardous materials can be dangerous to human health. Due to this, some states do not allow off-site incineration for medical wastes that could damage the air quality.

Fortunately, most hospitals nowadays have on-site incineration technology and the right equipment to burn hazardous medical wastes. This helps to get rid of biomedical wastes safely and reduces the volume of medical wastes transported to landfills.


2.      Autoclave

Autoclaving is the process of completely destroying microorganisms using steam sterilization. Not only is this process effective but it is also cost-effective compared to other biomedical disposal methods like incineration.

Plus, it is safe for both human health and the environment. The only downside is this disposal method may not work for all biomedical wastes. Nevertheless, it can be sued to sterilize 90% of the biomedical waste before it is sent to landfills.


3.      Microwaving

Microwaving is basically shredding waste and then mixing it with water before internally heating it. This method helps to kill microorganisms and other harmful elements. Besides, it is energy-efficient compared to incineration and helps to reduce the volume of biomedical waste.


4.      Chemicals

Chemicals can be used to dispose of liquid biomedical wastes. Chemicals like chlorine work effectively to kill pathogens and microorganisms. Additionally, chemicals can also be used to dispose of solid waste, as long as they first grinded for maximum decontamination.


Conclusion

These are some of the best methods to dispose of biomedical waste. Each method has its pros and cons and your selection will depend on the type of biomedical waste. Nonetheless, they can be used for proper biomedical waste management.