Medical Waste Resources
Infectious waste is also known as biohazardous, biological, medical, hospital waste. A widely quoted definition of medical waste runs: "human blood and blood products, cultures and stocks of infectious agents, pathological wastes, contaminated sharps, contaminated laboratory wastes, contaminated waste from patient care, discarded biological, contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, and bedding, contaminated equipment and miscellaneous infectious wastes" (34 Reinhardt). Contaminated sharps (e.g needles), blood and blood products and pathological wastes draw much attention. "Contaminated sharps include hypodermic needs and syringes, intravenous needles, scalpel blades, lances, disposable pipettes, capillary tubes, microscope slides and cover slips and broken glass. Human blood and blood products include serum, plasma and other blood components. Pathological waste of human origin includes tissues, organs, and body parts removed during surgery or autopsy" (Office of Technology Assessment, 13 OTA). For each of the waste types, the regulatory agencies have recommendations for the best type of treatment. One surprising method is the discharge of waste into the sanitary sewer. "Reportedly, about 23 percent of hospitals dispose of blood and body fluids to sewers and about 14 percent grind solid infectious wastes and discharge them to sewers using a grinder similar to that used for in-sink home garbage grinding" (62 OTA).
Who produces medical waste?
The health care industry: hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, dentists' offices.
Research laboratories (academic and private)
veterinarians
the pharmaceutical and food industries
Sources of medical waste at hospitals include:
- anesthesia
- dialysis
- clinical laboratories
- morgue
- nuclear medicine
- oncology
- radiology
- pathology/histology
- pharmacy
- respiratory care
- surgery
It is estimated that hospitals produce about 20 lb/bed per day of waste, of which 10% is infectious waste. Most hospitals also produce enough hazardous waste that they fall under federal laws as a hazardous waste producer and are subject to RCRA rules.
One challenge for management and treatment of medical waste is how diverse
it is.
It includes
- blood and related items
- pathological waste
- surgery and autopsy waste
- laboratory waste
Medical Waste Solutions Inc.
California Department of Public Health Medical Waste Management Program
Plasma Pyrolysis for Medical Waste
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Stericycle
Health Care Without Harm on Medical Waste
Toxics Alert
Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences Bio-Medical Waste Management
Pulse Pharma medical waste management devices
Plasma Pyrolysis of medical waste
Sujala
Biosanitizer
Express
Computer on e-waste
Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality
OpenMed
Medical
Waste Institute's Annucal Medical Waste Conference
North Carolina Division
of Waste Management
Virginia's Department
of Environmental Quality
West Virginia Infectious
Medical Waste Program
We got us some medical
waste
Mass Department
of Environmental Protection
Slate - What not throw medical
waste into volcanoes?
Medasend
Wisconin Dept
of Natural Resources on Disposal of Non-household Pharmaceutical Waste
Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality Medical Waste Program