Reasons Why Medical Waste Should Be Managed Correctly

All businesses have a duty of care to provide a safe and clean work environment for their employees, customers and visitors. Many workplaces can reduce this risk by abiding to Safe Work Australia regulations.

Medical waste in particular is considered a biohazard, referred to any waste that is generated at health care facilities during a diagnosis, treatment or immunization of humans or animals. This includes discarded blood, sharp objects, human or animal tissue, discarded gloves, surgical tools, medical supplies, body parts, used bandages and dressings.

Infectious Disease Transmission: Medical waste often contains infectious materials such as used needles, contaminated dressings, and tissues. Improper handling or disposal can lead to the transmission of diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and other pathogens to healthcare workers, waste handlers, and the public.
Chemical Hazards: Medical facilities generate hazardous chemical waste, including pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, and laboratory reagents. These chemicals can contaminate water and soil if not managed correctly, leading to pollution and potential harm to ecosystems and public health.
Sharps Injuries: Used needles and other sharp objects in medical waste can cause injuries if not properly disposed of. Needlestick injuries can lead to the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, posing a severe risk to healthcare workers and waste handlers.
Air Pollution: Incineration of medical waste, a common disposal method, can release harmful pollutants such as dioxins, furans, and heavy metals into the air. These pollutants can contribute to air pollution and have adverse effects on respiratory health.
Environmental Contamination: Medical waste that ends up in landfills can contaminate soil and groundwater. The leachate from these landfills may contain harmful substances that can seep into the environment, affecting local ecosystems and potentially reaching drinking water sources.

Proper management and disposal of medical waste are essential to mitigate these hazards and protect public health and the environment.

To avoid these hazards, here are basic ideas or suggestions that can help you maintain a risk-free workplace environment for your business.

Identify Waste

Firstly, you must practice the act of identifying the type of waste you are handling. An incorrect mixture of wastes can result in associated environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and litters, as well as social issues, including the spreading of unpleasant odors.

Medical wastes is identified and divided into four categories including:

Infectious wastes – blood, skin, organs, swabs, body parts, bloody bandages, discarded surgical gloves

Hazardous wastes – needles, sharps, scalpels

General wastes – plastic, paper, liquids,

Radioactive wastes – medical equipment that uses radioactive isotypes, cancer treatment & waste generated from nuclear medical treatments,

Bin Assortment

Like the different categories of medical wastes, there is also an extensive range of waste and recycling bins and containers. All medical bins and containers are labelled and color coordinated with appropriate recycling signage to install effective solutions that help reduce high-risk work environments.

It is also important to consider the most appropriate size of the bin and container that is needed for your business. This ensures that you are not wasting money to simple issues such as incorrect bin and container sizes.

Secure Storage

Make sure that everything goes into their appropriately labelled container because anything that touches medical waste becomes medical waste itself.

Appropriate sealing procedures must be followed by simply reading the visible procedures, which are either placed on or beside the bins or containers. If there are no visible procedures, an idea would be to research and contact professionals who can provide this.

Gather, Twist & Tie

Simply wear safety gloves to gather the medical wastes from the bins and containers, twist the bin bags to seal its contents, and tie a strong twist knot to prevent any leakage. You can also tape the bags and containers ensuring further seal.

If you have any questions regarding the packaging and disposal of medical wastes, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1300 729 922.

Related Post: 5 Best Waste Disposal Practices

Other services offered by Nationwide Waste Solutions include:

Sanitary Disposal Services

Urinal Deep Cleaning

Liquid Waste Collection

Document Destruction