Proper disposal of medical waste is important for the well-being of people within a medical facility, as well as society in general. The procedure of medical waste disposal takes place in multiple stages. Having a comprehensive understanding of this process allows you to make sustainable operational decisions. Here is a detailed account of each of these stages and the importance of each of the steps taken within the stages.
First Stage: Waste Generation
A hospital or a clinic can produce the following kinds of waste:
- Infectious Waste – Regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
2. Sharps Waste – Regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
3. Pharmaceutical Waste – Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
4. Chemical Waste – Regulated by the state agencies
5. Chemotherapy Waste – Regulated by the state agencies
6. Controlled drugs Waste – Regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The guidelines for the handling of this waste are issued by the aforementioned agencies, and the transportation is the responsibility of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Second Stage: Segmentation
Waste disposal methods ensure the safety of the people outside as well as inside a medical facility. For this purpose, each type of waste is sorted and labeled before leaving the facility. Each type of waste is contained within a specialized packaging that prevents it from infecting the waster handlers. Most facilities prefer to use reusable waste containers to duce the amount of pollution caused by medical waste in landfills.
Third Stage: Preparation for Transport
This stage includes securely sealing the medical waste that is ready to be disposed of. The waste is packaged by Denver waste disposal services in a way that the specifications of waste inside the packaging cannot be apparent to the handler. It prevents the misuse of controlled drugs such as opioids by the staff inside or outside a medical facility. DOT regulates the waste handled by any members of medical waste removal companies in Denver. However, USPS is responsible for the monitoring of medical waste sent via mail.
Fourth Stage: Waste Treatment
This stage is conducted at the facility of a medical waste services provider in Denver. The waste is processed at high heat to kill any pathogen culture growing on any of the waste. Incineration and the “autoclave” methods are the two different procedures that waste can be treated by. After which wastes get ready for the next and final stage of the disposal cycle. The waste that can be dis-infected, is cleaned at the facility. And the waste that can prove harmful to the environment, is destroyed or burned to ashes.
Fifth Stage: Transport to the Disposal Site
At the final stage of this process, the waste is transported to a landfill or a “waste-to-energy facility” (WTE) where it can be used to produce electricity.
Medical Systems ranks among the most environmentally conscious medical waste disposal companies in CO that can help companies comply with OSHA regulations and dispose of their medical waste efficiently and safely.
