Biomedical Waste Disposal Management

Biomedical waste management has recently emerged as a major concern not only to the medical facilities but also to the environment.

Unregulated medical waste is a huge public health problem that has posed a grave threat not only to human health and safety but also to the environment from the current and future generations.

The biomedical waste generated from health care units depends on multiple factors such as methods for waste management, type of health care units, occupancy of healthcare units, specialization of healthcare units, the ratio of reusable items in use, availability of infrastructure and resources, and more.

Biomedical waste classification

The World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health has classified medical waste into eight categories:

• General Waste
• Pathological
• Radioactive
• Chemical
• Infectious to potentially infectious waste
• Sharps
• Pharmaceuticals
• Pressurized containers

The dangers of poor management of biomedical waste have raised concerns across the globe, especially in the light of the effects on humans, health, and the environment.

It is well-known that there are several harmful effects to the environment including humans which arises from the hospital waste during patient care.

The problems of waste disposal in hospitals and other healthcare institutions have become issues of increasing concern. In the light of this environmental problem, here are some dos and don’ts you should keep in mind:

Do’s of proper biomedical waste disposal

1. Immediately place the used medical items and other sharps in the proper waste disposal biomedical bins. This will lower the risk of needle sticks, punctures, and cuts from the loose sharps.
2. Use FDA-approved biomedical waste containers. Many manufacturers such as The Sheetal Group can offer high-quality products. Their containers are celebrated for high quality, strength, and durability. The range is corrosion resistant and created keeping the preferences and requirements of clients in mind.
3. Make sure you seal the medical waste and segregate it according to their proper waste disposal containers. Label them properly, and check local guidelines on how to properly dispose of them.
4. If you use sharps at home (for example to administer insulin and other medications), make sure you have proper waste disposal bins in your house. You can also get in touch with local trash collectors to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area. Ask your healthcare provider or local hospital where and how you can get an FDA-approved biomedical waste container. This way, you can properly dispose of your needles and other sharps.
5. Keep all sharps and sharps disposal containers out of the reach of children and pets, and report any problems associated with sharps or their containers.

Don’ts of proper biomedical waste disposal

1. Throw any used and loose needles, uncapped syringes, sharps, and other medical waste in the regular trash bin.
2. Flush needles or other sharps in the toilet.
3. Place your needles or other sharps in your recycling garbage bin. Remember that they are not recyclable and could accidentally cut or prick someone.
4. Attempt to bend, break, remove, or recap needles used by another person. This can lead to needle sticks, which in turn can lead to serious infections. Also, don’t attempt to remove a needle without a proper needle clipper because the needle could wind up falling off, getting lost and injuring someone.
5. Use low-quality biomedical waste containers.

How to dispose of the waste in biomedical bins?

Because the health of the patient is important to the hospitals, they are responsible for the proper disposal of biomedical waste.

Having proper biomedical waste containers is part of keeping patients safe from additional illnesses that one can catch.

The hospital staff and management is responsible for putting the biomedical waste in the proper bins. This is only the first step in properly disposing of biomedical waste pursuant to state and federal guidelines.

Once the waste is segregated in proper biomedical bins, a medical waste company picks up the waste.

It transports the waste to its treatment facility and then properly treats the waste prior to disposing of it.

The proper management of biomedical waste has become a worldwide humanitarian topic today.

So if you need help managing your medical waste in proper biomedical bins, The Sheetal Group can offer 100% Virgin Material, UV Stabilized, durable and maintenance-free products.
Contact us today to learn more.