The Most Common Treatment Method for Medical Waste

Medical facilities employ different methods to treat medical waste within their premises. Depending on which technology they use, it can be classified as either biological, chemical, or thermal.

Probably the most common medical waste treatment method that most facilities use is autoclaving. This method uses high-pressure steam to treat infectious waste before it can be disposed of properly.

Due to how easy autoclaves are to use, they’re the preferred method used by a lot of medical facilities. They’re also fairly easy to maintain and monitor. Besides, they can process tons of medical waste at the same time, making them ideal for hospitals that produce tons of waste on a regular basis.

Aside from autoclaves, most medical facilities also use dry heat or steam to treat their medical waste. This is done through methods like frictional heating, microwaves, or electrothermal disinfection.

Despite the involvement of heat, any of these methods won’t alter the chemical or physical form of the waste. This means that there won’t be any pollution as a result. However, medical facilities would still need to make sure that these methods won’t be used for treating volatile chemicals.

Regardless of which method is used, there’s no denying that proper monitoring still remains a priority. This would mean medical facilities should also employ simple tests in order to check if their equipment is functioning properly and efficiently.