Where Does Medical Waste Go?

Hospitals mainly have two options for disposing of their medical waste. These are “incineration” and “autoclaving”. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages since there is an appropriate situation wherein one is the right option.

What Is The Difference Between Incineration And Autoclaving

Incineration is simply burning something to ashes but done in a controlled environment. Hospitals use the “incinerator” to perform the procedure. Some healthcare waste needs to be extinguished immediately because they have the risk to contaminate the environment.

However, choosing landfill services with on-site incinerators can be a money-saving decision for hospitals. If such a service is what they chose, they will only need to think about the logistics.

Autoclaving, on the other hand, is the process of sterilization using steam. This process aims to kill as many microorganisms as possible in an equipment called “autoclave” so that the waste can be repurposed. This is highly recommended for used medical tools or maintenance equipment. These objects are too expensive to be burnt down into ashes.

There are also additional waste treatment procedures for specific waste. “Chemical treatments” work well for liquid waste from laboratories. “Irradiation” is used to neutralize infectious waste. “Thermal treatment” is also another procedure similar to irradiation but not applicable to pathological waste.

The Segregation Process

Before disposal, segregation is one necessary step to be done strictly. In order to maintain standards, the guidelines from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be followed. The said guidelines contain fact sheets and emission standards when incinerating healthcare waste. The “cradle-to-grave” system is recommended by EPA for handling hazardous waste.

Conclusion

Healthcare waste is not easy to dispose of. After all, the lives of the people within the hospital are not the only ones at stake. All participants have to be knowledgeable and disciplined in handling the tasks on a daily basis.