Medical waste: a global problem for health and the environment
Gauze compresses and surgical drapes contaminated with blood, used gloves, sharps, blood collection tubes, etc.
Medical waste from health care, medical analysis and research activities, potentially contaminated by pathogenic biological agents, presents major infectious hazards for the environment and for the people exposed throughout the production and processing cycle: health care workers, nurses, patients, waste management providers, and the general public…
Treating biomedical waste is a real problem today for both public health and the environment on a global scale.
Regulated by numerous procedures and laws, the waste management process is long and limiting, and involves:
Biological hazards at all stages of the waste management process: collection, storage, transport on public highways and final disposal;
A negative impact for the environment arising from polluting incinerators used;
High processing costs for the waste generator, which is responsible for the waste until its complete destruction.
What exactly is infectious biomedical waste?
Infectious biomedical waste (also called biohazardous waste) is produced by diagnostics, follow-up and preventive, curative or palliative treatment in human and veterinary medicine.
« This waste contains viable micro-organisms or their toxins, which are known or reliably believed to cause due to their nature, quantity, or metabolism, disease in humans or other living organisms » (article R. 1335-1 of the French Public Health Code).
Potentially infectious biomedical waste systematically destroyed by the waste management process includes:
Sharp objects, i.e. cutting or sharp-edged materials, after use, which may or may not have come into contact with a biological product;
Blood bottles for therapeutic use incompletely used or reached the use-by date, blood collection tubes, drainage devices;
In general, all health care supplies or objects contaminated by (or containing) blood or another biological fluids (pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, amniotic, synovial and other such fluids);
Waste originating from embalming activities;
Human anatomical waste corresponding to any part of the human body not easily identifiable by a non-specialist;
Specific laboratory waste (cell cultures, samples);
Independently of the concept of infectious hazards, all health care material strongly associated with health care and that may have an emotional/psychological impact: syringes, tubing, probes, catheters, drains, gloves, etc.
Due to its nature and the risk of infection it presents, biohazardous waste includes waste that poses a risk to life. Humans can be exposed to biological agents contained in medical waste by:
Skin-mucous contact/projection of blood or biological fluids;
Inhalation of contaminated particles (bioaerosols) or ingestion.
For example, a puncture with an object contaminated with blood could transmit viruses such as AIDS or hepatitis B.
» Reducing the risk of infection thus requires:
Strict management of medical waste disposal;
Control of hygiene and safety throughout all stages of the waste disposal process.
Categories
CODE
DESCRIPTION OF WASTE CATEGORY
TREATABLE BY STERIPLUSTM
18 01
WASTE FROM NATAL CARE, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT OR PREVENTION OF DISEASE IN HUMANS
18 01 01
Sharps (except 18 01 03*)
YES
18 01 02
Body parts and organs including blood bags and blood preserves (except 18 01 03)
according to local regulations
18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
YES
18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection (for example dressings, plaster casts, linen, disposable clothing, diapers)
YES
18 01 06*
Chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances
NO
18 01 07
Chemicals other than those mentioned in 18 01 06*
NO
18 01 08*
Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines
NO
18 01 09
Medicines other than those mentioned in 18 01 08*
NO
18 01 10*
Amalgam waste from dental care
NO
18 02
WASTES FROM RESEARCH, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT OR PREVETENTION OF DESEASE INVOLVING ANIMALS
18 02 01
Sharps (except 18 02 02*)
YES
18 02 02*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
YES
18 02 03
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
YES
18 02 05*
Chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances
NO
18 02 06
Chemicals other than those mentioned in 18 02 05*
NO
18 02 07*
Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines
NO
18 02 08
Medicines other than those mentioned in 18 02 07*
NO
Medical waste that can be treated by STERIPLUSTM includes :
