28 Jul Healthcare Waste Management in Tampa for COVID-19
How Coronavirus Has Redefined Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is one that, if improperly handled, can pose a significant threat to our health and the environment. More narrowly, it has been defined as medical waste that’s contaminated by a potential source of infection like blood and body fluids. During this COVID-19 pandemic, the definition in regards to medical wastes has undergone changes. healthcare waste management in Tampa
Typically, items like surgical tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) fit into this categorization. However, OSHA recently made it known that all materials that could have been contaminated during the care of patients infected with coronavirus must be disposed of as hazardous waste. This list now includes mundane objects such as pens and paper. With an ever-expanding and changing definition of coronavirus waste, it can be daunting trying to dispose of waste correctly; there’s no other healthcare waste management in Tampa as effective and knowledgeable as BioSecureWaste.
Redefining Biohazardous Waste in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Biohazardous wastes are meant to be disposed of in red bags or bins. These containers are now expected to hold any material that was used during the treatment of the virus. Due to this, just as how the populace has adapted to movement restrictions by working from home, healthcare workers must change their waste disposal systems.
How to Handle Hazardous Waste Disposal
Following the release of new guidelines necessitated by this pandemic, OSHA mentioned that protocol that had been reserved for other regulated medical waste must cover any potentially COVID-19 contaminated material. The preferred method for waste is one that will reduce the quantity of waste, decontaminate, or recycle it.
This does not work with hazardous waste as there will always be a need for treatment and elimination.
How the Hazardous Waste Disposal Works
Collect and Separate
Medical wastes generally need to be categorized according to groups such as general waste and hazardous waste.
Pick Up and Transport
After the waste has been properly sorted, and the designated containers are filled, it is time to invite professionals’ help. A truck from waste disposal you contact will come to collect it. The waste is then taken to a secure location where it can be treated.
Treat Hazardous Waste
Thermal treatment – includes incineration, which not only detoxifies some kinds of organic wastes but effectively destroys them. Special equipment is necessary for this high-temperature process, e.g., fluidized-bed incinerator, rotary kiln, etc. Autoclaving is another method where the waste is subjected to at least 121 degrees celsius for a period of time. At this temperature, even the sturdiest organism perish.
Chemical Disinfection – can be by ion exchange, oxidation, precipitation, neutralization, or reduction.
Prove Safe Disposal
There are forms used for tracking hazardous wastes over time, and these are known as ‘Hazardous waste manifests’. It is used to monitor waste from the time it leaves the medical facility to its final destination.
The document details chain of custody for the materials and give the people who generated the waste proof that they properly managed it. Coronavirus has made the documents join the class of hazardous waste as they might be contaminated during the process. E-manifests are now replacing hard copies to solve this problem.
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