What is NOT considered medical waste?

25 Feb What is NOT considered medical waste?

Are you aware of what is NOT considered medical waste?

Ensuring that your medical waste is properly sorted through and disposed of in proper containers is not only economical, but it also leads to less waste. There are generally three categories when it comes to medical waste segregation, those categories are as follows: sharps waste, red bag waste, and general hazardous waste. There is always a grey area when it comes to what is considered medical waste and what is not.

Volume: Volume is a large factor in determining what is actually considered to be medical waste and what is not. Facilities that don’t generate a large amount of waste are exempt from those regulations enforced by the RMW.

It may be hard to tell what to consider medical waste and what not to. There may be medical waste on the nightgown, sheets or towels; but this does not mean that these items must be treated and disposed of as if they were medical waste items.

What about at-home medical waste? Old bandages, towels you used to absorb a bloody cut all technically have contaminants on them, they are not to be considered medical waste. These items can just be thrown in the trash, as there are no regulations against it. Though there are no regulations for at-home medical waste, does not mean that sharps used within the home should not be disposed of with caution and consideration for sanitation workers. This process of medical waste segregation can also reduce the volume of what would be considered medical waste immensely. Throwing things like paper bags into red bag waste would end up costing you more money in the long run, as well as potentially ending you up with fines and penalties.

To ensure you don’t get confused during the process of waste segregation, your best course of action would be to team up with a professional to make sure your facility stays compliant and up to code. Confused about all the regulations and processes? We are here to assist. Please call us today for a FREE no-obligation perspective. Biosecure Waste Solutions can help.