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What Takes Place With Medical Waste Eventually?

Jun 21, 2018

Every day, a comparatively large amount of potentially infectious and hazardous waste is generated in health care organizations. The organizations are like hospitals and other facilities around the world. This bio-medical waste must be prudently treated and disposed of in order. This is to avoid contamination and the spread of infectious pathogens. Therefore many health facilities and hospitals alike are supposed to follow very strict actions when collecting, disinfecting and disposing of the medical waste.

But What Take place With Medical Waste Once It Leaves The Facility?

Nontoxic Waste

The simplest nontoxic wastes are paper trash, food scraps and items like those plastic thermometer caps and medicine packaging. They are first sorted to see if anything can be recycled and reused. Lead (in protective clothing) and silver (in X-ray films) can be recycled and reused, along with materials such as cardboard and high-quality office paper. Afterwards the leftover waste goes into the landfill just like other ordinary trash. Such waste has no risk of being a health hazard and therefore the treatment and disposal methods for it are honestly basic.

Infectious Waste

Infectious wastes are blood, body fluids, needles, blades and laboratory cultures. They are next in line. Such waste is collected separately and placed inside specially marked plastic tubs that are lined with red bags to prevent leakage due to piercing. They are moved to a biohazard room for storage until they can be picked up for final disposal when the tubs are full.

Pathological Waste

Pathological wastes are organs and other body parts that have been removed from patients as well as waste from chemotherapy. This type includes the bags that held drugs that were dispensed intravenously. This waste is collected in separate containers and moved to a storage room for the next step of the process.

When the waste was appropriately collected and segregated, the tubs containing the pathological waste are picked-up in special covered vans. The reason of that to transport them to the hospital’s waste management counterparts, who will then decontaminate the waste using one of the following methods:

  • Autoclaving – uses steam at high temperatures to penetrate through the waste material and kill all the micro-organisms existed in the waste.
  • Incineration Technology – employs combustion of waste via thermal energy, converting the waste into inert material and gases.
  • Microwave Irradiation – generates high frequency waves. They cause the particles within the waste material to vibrate, generating heat from within, killing all pathogens.
  • Plasma Pyrolysis – an environmentally friendly process that changes waste into reusable byproducts through the intense heat generated by the plasma.

The waste can also be disposed of in landfills along with other regular solid waste. Nowadays healthcare facilities are also employing Waste Management Committees. They set policies and procedures to be followed and monitored to ensure proper medical waste disposal as well as compliance with legal policies. Concerned about medical waste disposal? Call Glycon LLC to get your medical waste disposal questions answered.

 

3 Ways To Save On Medical Waste Disposal

Jun 15, 2018

Part of managing medical waste is managing a budget, and while the services you’re paying for may seem clear-cut. There are some costly missteps that could lead to over payment by way of fines. These surprise items are not something one can prepare for in a yearly budget. If you want to save on medical waste removal, here are some simple steps to take.

Isolate Your Waste!

Segregate medical waste and use properly marked containers is not only good practice. It is safe and economical so that you can choose how and when, not to mention whom removes the waste for you. It’s important to note that not all medical waste can be packaged together. It is imperative to separate waste into containers for OSHA compliance.  Failing to do so can cause fines and surcharges.

How’s Your Medical Waste Frequency And Volume?

Think about investing in larger waste storage containers to lengthen time between pick ups. Everyday pickups mean transport costs. It’s better to precisely forecast your medical waste volume instead of disposing of waste too regularly.

Pay For What You Need Only

You are a smaller medical practice or a tattoo parlor that requires less frequent visits. You are probably overpaying for a monthly service contract. For smaller volume, consider call-only service so that you’re only paying for what you actually essential.

Look For Hidden Fees

Always read the fine print. Some medical waste removal organizations tack on hidden surcharges. We prides itself on transparent, straight-forward pricing with no hidden fees.

We offer a variety of services that fit your needs and budget so that there are no surprise charges or fines assessed to your business.

Call Glycon LLC and let us help you find your medical waste disposal solution right now.

Sharps Containers

May 25, 2018

Sharps Containers Aren’t Just For Needles. What Else Goes In Sharps Container?

Perhaps you saw the practitioner drop the needle into a sharps container if you had blood drawn or received a vaccination at a healthcare facility. These containers are crucial for infection prevention. They are rigid, puncture-proof, and have lids that seal securely to prevent the contents from spilling out. However sharps containers aren’t just for needles. “Sharps” is the medical definition for any sharp-pointed object that can cut or puncture the skin.

What Else Is Going Into Sharps Container?

Sharps have potential disease-carrying blood or other potentially infectious materials on them, they are talented of spreading disease.

Other Examples Of Sharps Waste Includes:

  • Suture needles, butterflies, scalpel blades
  • Insulin  needles and diabetic lancets
  • Vacutainer tubes, blood collection tube  (plastic and glass)
  • Phlebotomy needles with vacutainer tube holder attached
  • IV catheters
  • Capillary tubes, both plastic and glass
  • Expired or used epinephrine auto-injectors
  • Dental wires and endodontic files

Executing a sharps safety program is the best defense against improperly using a sharps container. Institutions should look at their needle devices to determine safety and check how sharps are being handled and disposed of.

Staff should remember to never use sharps containers as regular waste receptacles. Not only is this unsafe, it is also costly for waste generators, as the waste hauler must separate the waste.

The FDA, Sharps Disposal Guidelines State announced that:

  • Used sharps can be disposed of in a sharps container
  • Sharps containers can be supplied by companies
  • Sharps containers must be inflexible and puncture-proof

What is a sharps management program. It is a proactive service to help healthcare facilities advance environmental and employee safety. Don’t be ill-prepared! Contact us to discuss all of your medical waste disposal needs and solutions to suit your organization’s needs and budget!

Medical Waste Requirements

May 22, 2018

Medical waste is often referred to as regulated medical waste, biohazardous waste, or, more merely, hazardous waste, medical waste is more known as biomedical waste.

According to DEEP, medical waste, or biomedical waste is defined as “…infectious, pathological and/or chemotherapy waste generated during the administration of medical care or the performance of medical study involving humans or animals.” State law eliminates hazardous and radioactive waste from biomedical waste.

There are very specific rules for medical waste disposal depending on the type of waste. Infectious waste, such as sharps and body fluids, must be disposed of via incineration or autoclaving. Per DEEP, chemotherapy waste and pathological waste, including human tissue must be disposed of by incineration.

Storage of medical waste is rather stringent. Medical waste must be stored away from other waste materials and only accessed by authorized transporter, personnel, and treatment facility operator.

The most unusual regulation is what happens when a patient asks to keep a limb or organ, whether it’s for religious or personal reasons. The limb or organ in question is created at a hospital, the hospital is considered “generator,” the facility bears the responsibility of proper disposal. While it’s not exactly outlawed to pass these artifacts to patients, the state endorses that healthcare specialists caution patients about disposal practices and dangers of infection.

As a medical waste generator, your best development of action is to hire a compliant medical waste disposal company to take care of the complicated disposal process. Our program helps your staff treat with new and revised procedures.

Contact today to discuss how we can help you comply with your medical waste disposal Glendale and CA state medical waste requirements.

Improper Medical Waste Packaging: What You Need To Know

May 19, 2018

The Improper Ways That Facilities Can Be Caught Red-Handed When It Comes To Medical Waste Packaging

Medical waste packaging and labeling is the duty of the waste-generating facility itself. Packaging includes sharps containers, red bags, bio-hazard containers, and reusable containers. Letdown to comply with safe containment is not only an environmental matter, but a community health issue that can come with hefty fines. What are some of the inappropriate ways facilities can be caught red-handed talking about medical waste packaging?

How To Tie A Red Bag?

You can’t just tie a red bag up like a bow and call it a day. Red bags must be steadily closed to avoid the contents from escaping. If you can hold it upside down and it doesn’t leak, then you did it correctly. To tie a red bag, use an overhand knot, a zip tie, or a twist tie. Seal the red bag with at least of entrapped air.

Don’t Overfill That Sharps Container!

As with any package, one must not overfill! The FDA recommends facilities fill sharps containers only ¾ full to prevent injury. Overflowing sharps containers put healthcare workers at danger because they can inadvertently get stuck with a needle from an unknown source.

Improper Labeling

There are precise federal markings required for hazardous waste. It includes the biohazard symbol, “this-side-up” arrows, signs that dictate regulated medical waste, all of which must be present and evidently visible. There are also state regulations on properly labeling as well. Indecorously labeling containers poses a risk to staff, patients, and the community, and can result in penalties and fines for non-compliance.

Medical Waste Cannot Share Receptacles!

Sharps do not belong in a regular trash receptacle, but you’d be surprised that there are still facilities whose staff improperly dispose of infectious waste. Sharps go in a sharps container, whereas red bag waste should contain anything that is infectious biological material, including cultures, blood and blood products, and culture stocks. The higher danger a type of infectious waste poses to human, the higher standard of container you need.

Complying with government regulations as they pertain to Glendale medical waste disposal can be a confusing and costly experience. Contact us today and let us take the guesswork out of it for you.

Pharmaceutical Medical Waste Disposal At Home

May 14, 2018

This Isn’t The Best Course Of Action For Medication Disposal That is Why While The FDA Has And Still Recommends Flushing Certain Medications Depending On The State.

It is important to take stock of the drugs in your home because medicines are commonly found in medicine cabinets, on top of dressers, in kitchen cabinets, and in other accessible locations. If you have unwanted or expired prescriptions, you should dispose of them in order to keep your home safe. This reduces the chance that others may accidentally take or intentionally misuse the unneeded medicine.

Pharmaceutical Medical Waste Disposal is a critical issue

Pharmaceutical waste management is a long and difficult topic that falls within the hub of hazardous waste management. Scientists implemented many studies in the U.S. and revealed pharmaceutical compounds in both surface and ground waters. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ruling “Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals,” while is precise to healthcare facilities. This is a good launching pad for home disposal.

Back in 2000, a U.S. Geological Survey found perceptible amounts of one or more medications in 80% of water samples drawn from a network of 139 streams in 30 states. The rule was designed to make drinking water safer and healthier by reducing pharmaceuticals in waterways. Those statistics are pretty alarming.

While the FDA has and still endorses flushing certain medications depending on the state, this isn’t the best course of action for medication disposal. Putting unexploited medications down the drain or flushing them down the toilet may expose drinking water to the chemicals. As our current sewage treatment systems are not effective in removing all drugs from waterways this can cause ecological harm.

It is important to separate pharmaceutical waste just like we segregate medical waste. It is best to speak with a Phoenix medical waste disposal company or one that specializes in your area like Glycon LLC about unused and unwanted medication disposal rather than gamble with the environment and the health of our communities.