Ways to Segregate Hospital Waste
4/8/2022
Hospital waste generates large volumes of infectious and toxic waste. Therefore, proper waste management of hospital waste is imperative to protect the environment.
One good practice for the proper management of hospital waste is segregation. Segregation is separating or sorting different types of waste to help in recycling or disposal.
Hospital waste segregation involves the separation of hazardous waste from non-hazardous waste for proper disposal, treatment, or recycling.
Methods of Hospital Waste Segregation
Many health and environmental departments use a color-coding segregation system to classify different types of hospital waste.
The general color-coding classification is as follows:
● Yellow: human anatomical waste, animal anatomical waste, contaminated solid waste, expired medicines, chemical waste, laboratory waste, discarded linen, beddings, e.t.c
● Red: contaminated recyclable waste such as tubing, bottles, catheters, and urine bags.
● White: sharps such as needles, blades, scalpels, and other contaminated sharps.
● Blue: glass waste such as broken glass, medicine vials, ampoules, and metallic body implants.
Hospitals use color-coded bins to segregate the different classes of waste.
Color Codes of Hospital Waste Containers
● Yellow containers: collect chemotherapy waste such as gloves and gowns.
● Yellow containers with a radioactive sign: collect radioactive waste used in radiotherapy treatment and research.
● Red containers: collect sharps such as needles.
● Red containers with a biohazard sign: collect infectious waste such as blood or contaminated hospital equipment.
● Black containers: collect hazardous waste.
● Blue containers: collect pharmaceutical waste such as pills.
It is important to note that color codes might differ slightly in different countries or states.
Conclusion
Waste segregation is an integral part of proper waste management in hospitals. Additionally, it protects the environment and helps hospitals comply with local and national regulations.
Segregation also reduces volumes of waste through recycling and composting. This also reduces the overall cost of waste management.
One good practice for the proper management of hospital waste is segregation. Segregation is separating or sorting different types of waste to help in recycling or disposal.
Hospital waste segregation involves the separation of hazardous waste from non-hazardous waste for proper disposal, treatment, or recycling.
Methods of Hospital Waste Segregation
Many health and environmental departments use a color-coding segregation system to classify different types of hospital waste.
The general color-coding classification is as follows:
● Yellow: human anatomical waste, animal anatomical waste, contaminated solid waste, expired medicines, chemical waste, laboratory waste, discarded linen, beddings, e.t.c
● Red: contaminated recyclable waste such as tubing, bottles, catheters, and urine bags.
● White: sharps such as needles, blades, scalpels, and other contaminated sharps.
● Blue: glass waste such as broken glass, medicine vials, ampoules, and metallic body implants.
Hospitals use color-coded bins to segregate the different classes of waste.
Color Codes of Hospital Waste Containers
● Yellow containers: collect chemotherapy waste such as gloves and gowns.
● Yellow containers with a radioactive sign: collect radioactive waste used in radiotherapy treatment and research.
● Red containers: collect sharps such as needles.
● Red containers with a biohazard sign: collect infectious waste such as blood or contaminated hospital equipment.
● Black containers: collect hazardous waste.
● Blue containers: collect pharmaceutical waste such as pills.
It is important to note that color codes might differ slightly in different countries or states.
Conclusion
Waste segregation is an integral part of proper waste management in hospitals. Additionally, it protects the environment and helps hospitals comply with local and national regulations.
Segregation also reduces volumes of waste through recycling and composting. This also reduces the overall cost of waste management.