Regulated Waste Disposal Services
For clinics, hospitals, labs, and other research environments, medical waste disposal is essential for a healthier work environment. The proper disposal of biohazards will keep employees and others protected from potentially infectious materials.
From sharp objects to blood pathogens, there are a number of dangerous materials that healthcare organizations encounter on a daily basis. Without the right disposal practices in place, organizations will face the wrath of regulatory fines that can run in the tens of thousands of dollars.
You don’t want to be reactive when it comes to safe disposal practices. Be proactive by using an experienced regulated medical waste disposal team that will eliminate the waste quickly and effectively.
Sterile Waste Solutions is Central Ohio’s go-to source for safe regulated medical waste removals. We remain compliant with all the current federal and local regulations and ensure that your biohazards are disposed of correctly.
What is Regulated Medical Waste?
Regulated medical waste refers to any biohazardous materials that result from the medical treatment of an animal or human being. This waste can become very infectious if the right precautions aren’t taken and it can pose a serious risk for local communities.
Part of the ‘hazard’ class, regulated medical waste can be connected with the proliferation of many life threatening or fatal diseases, which is why it needs to be handled and disposed of by experienced hazard waste professionals.
It starts with having the right personal protective equipment for regulated medical waste (PPE). This includes safety items like hazmat suits, eye protection, goggles, gloves, shoe covers, face masks, and face shields. They also come with regulated waste containers for safe disposal of all items.
When you hire a team of professionals to facilitate the disposal process, you can rest assured that they will come prepared with the correct gear to protect themselves and others.
The most common examples of regulated waste include:
Pathological Waste
Body parts, bodily floods, tissues, and other items that were extracted during a surgery are considered pathological waste. Pathological waste is often confused with anatomical waste, since they both derive from animal bodies, but pathological waste usually comes from samples of tissues that were examined in a lab setting. This type of waste must be incinerated or disposed of by interment.
Used Sharps and Other Instruments
All medical instruments must be disposed of following surgeries and other procedures. This includes contaminated needles, scalpel blades, and pipettes which may contain blood or animal tissues.
Culture Dishes
Microbiologists are well aware of the roaming hazards that live on culture dishes. Microbiological waste is often handled in the same manner as a “sharp” mentioned above.
Culture dishes and other devices that were used to transfer specimens, vaccines, or a mixture of other substances that are normally pathogenic to humans must be disposed of with the proper mechanisms in place.
Isolation Waste
Some hospital patients may be in isolation to prevent others from catching their communicable disease, especially when the illness is particularly contagious and/or fatal to others.
When this is the case, hospitals must find a way to transfer their waste in a safe manner; ensuring that other hospital patients are not at risk.
PPE Waste
Although personal protective equipment is worn by medical waste disposal professionals, it should also be discarded as soon as the project is over.
Even if PPE looks clean, it must be assumed that it is contaminated with potentially hazardous substances.
What is Non Hazardous Medical Waste?
It’s also important for organizations to understand the distinctions between hazardous and non hazardous medical waste. While non hazardous medical waste doesn’t seem as dangerous as hazardous items, it can still cause issues environmentally.
Non hazardous medical waste examples include paper/cardboard, office products, plastic packaging, and clean glass. These products are common across just about every industry, and many companies don’t even think about them in their daily routine.
Some non hazardous waste is easier to identify than others, but waste from a lab or medical setting can be more different to discern.
That’s where an experienced disposal company comes into play. They can quickly determine whether your waste is hazardous or non-hazardous, and they are also aware of the classifications of each item on a state by state basis.
It shouldn’t be your job to constantly have to stay on top of local and federal regulations. Leave it to an experienced team to handle that research for you.
Your disposal company will be up to date on any new or changing regulations to ensure that you stay current and avoid penalties.
Who Regulates Medical Waste at the Federal Level?
There are multiple federal agencies who regulate medical waste, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is also involved. When medical waste undergoes treatment before disposal, it must be packaged properly before mailing. It’s the job of medical waste disposal companies to communicate with USPS to ensure that all shipping rules are being followed.
Medical waste shipping has a number of standards on its own, many of which can be overlooked by a healthcare facility or lab. Sterile Waste Solutions is responsible for helping facilities meet these standards consistently.
Each of these federal organizations plays a role in carrying out medical waste legislations and making sure companies are compliant, but it’s ultimately the organization itself that needs to make sure they are following everything to the letter of the law.
By hiring a seasoned disposal company, you are taking the guesswork out of your regulated medical waste disposal process and making things safer for everyone involved.
The Importance of Regulated Waste Services
Medical waste is a constant reality for healthcare organizations. They have to determine the most effective ways of disposal that will keep their team and the environment safe.
It starts with legal compliance. At Sterile Waste Solutions, we stay up to date on all federal and local legal regulations to ensure that your disposal practices are in line with the law. Our comprehensive regulated medical waste compliance training ensures that your entire team is following the latest standards and practices.
As the government continues to push more regulated waste solutions, there’s a growing need for consulting services from experienced disposal companies. Dispose of your OSHA regulated medical waste properly and do your part in keeping the environment safe.
Most importantly, train your workforce. A workforce who is aware of the proper disposal protocols will reflect better on their organization as a whole.
At Sterile Waste Solutions, we want to help you train your team on these compliance standards while also helping you facilitate the actual disposal process itself. Discover how our team can help train your organization today.