From Guest Blogger Maggie Hammond: What Happens to Our Medical Waste?

Medical waste disposal is one of the most significant challenges faced by healthcare providers today. The term “medical waste” generally refers to any waste that contains potentially infectious material, such as body fluids or other contaminants, but it can also mean old electrical equipment and hospital supplies.

U.S. hospitals create an estimated 5.9 million tons of medical waste each year. If you’ve ever been to the doctor’s office or had your blood taken in a medical facility, you’ll have seen various sharps bins and other disposal systems being used, and you might have wondered what happens to it all. Perhaps you work in a hospital and are conscious of the environmental impact of your job. Or maybe you’re a patient and you’re wondering what happens to your needles and blood vials once they’re carried off? Here’s what happens to your medical waste after it’s discarded.

Biohazardous Waste

The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes sharp, human tissue, fluids, and other contaminated supplies as “biohazardous,” while body parts and recognizable tissues are deemed “pathological waste.” One of the most common methods of biohazardous waste management is incineration, while chemical waste is often neutralized with radioactive chemicals. Other waste treatment methods include steam sterilization (autoclaving) and microwave treatments.

Some large, well-monied facilities take care of their medical waste on-site, but most hospitals use third-party vendors who collect the waste by truck and dispose of it responsibly using one of the methods outlined above. Finally, compaction reduces the volume of waste and then ships it to a sanitary landfill. If the waste occurs in liquid form, it is sent to a health-department approved septic system for further treatment.

General Medical Waste

The term “general medical waste” refers to anything that’s not biohazardous or contaminating in nature. Examples include office paperwork, kitchen waste and floor sweepings. The 1988 Medical Waste Tracking Act does not regulate such waste, so it is disposed along with regular garbage and taken to a landfill or recycled.

Medical Equipment

Despite good intentions, medical equipment from developed countries usually ends up on the junk heap. Luckily, new charities and training programs are working to change that. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that although around 80 percent of medical equipment is donated to foreign sources, only 10 percent to 30 percent of medical device donations are ever put into operation; this is usually because outdated or broken equipment simply cannot be repaired.

Luckily, EWH (Engineering World Health) is addressing the problem by training hospital staff to fix the equipment they have and encouraging out hospitals to learn more about what’s needed in the developing world. So, if you upgrade your hospital equipment through DeviceLab who are professionals in medical cart development, make sure you educate yourself on how to donate your old devices.

The DOT, EPA, OSHA, and the DEA regulate medical waste in the U.S. It is vital to be aware of these guidelines when preparing, transferring, and disposing of any kind of hazardous waste in a healthcare environment.

— Guest blogger is Maggie Hammond who is a retired nurse and freelance writer, exploring and writing in the U.S. in retirement. An advocate for public health and nursing qualifications, she feels passionate about raising awareness of the current strain on public health organisations.