What Happens to Medical Waste After Disposal?
5/24/2021
Medical waste includes any waste that is generated from healthcare facilities. This waste can be further categorized into biohazardous waste, contaminated sharps, pathology waste, pharmaceutical waste, and microbiological waste.
If medical waste is not disposed of properly, it can be potentially dangerous to human health and the environment. According to regulations, medical waste should be treated and made non-infectious before it is disposed of in a landfill.
Process of Medical Waste Disposal
The process of disposing of medical waste involves several steps which are as follows:
1. A licensed medical waste company will collect the medical waste at health care facilities.
2. The medical waste will then be transported to a treatment facility. The type and size of the waste generator and geographical location will determine whether the waste will be treated on-site.
3. The right treatment method is used depending on the type of waste.
4. After the waste has been properly treated, it is then put into a sanitary landfill. Unlike a regular landfill, waste put in a sanitary landfill is sealed and protected from the environment until it is considered safe.
Treatment Methods for Medical Waste
Some of the common treatment methods for medical waste include:
• Incineration
Different forms of healthcare waste like chemotherapy waste and pathology waste are exposed to very high combustion temperatures in a process called incineration.
• Autoclave
This is a waste treatment method that involves steam sterilization to kill contaminants. In this process, medical waste like sharps and infectious waste is passed through steam with high pressure to sterilize it.
• Chemical Agents
Chemical agents like chlorine can be used to treat biohazardous waste to make it noninfectious. This treatment method works best for liquid wastes.
These waste treatment methods can be used on-site or off-site. This will depend on the amount of waste and the regulations of the state. There’s no doubt that proper medical waste management will keep human health and the environment safe from exposure to medical waste.
If medical waste is not disposed of properly, it can be potentially dangerous to human health and the environment. According to regulations, medical waste should be treated and made non-infectious before it is disposed of in a landfill.
Process of Medical Waste Disposal
The process of disposing of medical waste involves several steps which are as follows:
1. A licensed medical waste company will collect the medical waste at health care facilities.
2. The medical waste will then be transported to a treatment facility. The type and size of the waste generator and geographical location will determine whether the waste will be treated on-site.
3. The right treatment method is used depending on the type of waste.
4. After the waste has been properly treated, it is then put into a sanitary landfill. Unlike a regular landfill, waste put in a sanitary landfill is sealed and protected from the environment until it is considered safe.
Treatment Methods for Medical Waste
Some of the common treatment methods for medical waste include:
• Incineration
Different forms of healthcare waste like chemotherapy waste and pathology waste are exposed to very high combustion temperatures in a process called incineration.
• Autoclave
This is a waste treatment method that involves steam sterilization to kill contaminants. In this process, medical waste like sharps and infectious waste is passed through steam with high pressure to sterilize it.
• Chemical Agents
Chemical agents like chlorine can be used to treat biohazardous waste to make it noninfectious. This treatment method works best for liquid wastes.
These waste treatment methods can be used on-site or off-site. This will depend on the amount of waste and the regulations of the state. There’s no doubt that proper medical waste management will keep human health and the environment safe from exposure to medical waste.