Medical waste disposal is a critical concern for healthcare professionals, facility managers, and anyone involved in healthcare operations. This article explains how medical waste is disposed of and where it goes after leaving healthcare facilities. We will cover the main types of medical waste, the specific disposal methods used for each, and the regulatory and best practice requirements that govern the process. Understanding medical waste disposal is essential for protecting public health, ensuring legal compliance, and safeguarding the environment.
A critical first step in healthcare waste management is waste segregation, which involves classifying and separating different types of medical waste to ensure compliance with regulations and maintain safety throughout the disposal process.
Healthcare waste generators are responsible for their medical waste disposal until the point of final disposal under cradle-to-grave requirements. This means that healthcare facilities must manage their waste from the moment it is generated until it is safely and legally disposed of.
The first step towards properly managing medical waste disposal is understanding the nuances and terms. Join us as we explore the world of medical waste disposal and learn about what happens to medical waste and the steps involved in ensuring safe and efficient waste management.
Summary of Medical Waste Disposal Methods
Below is a summary table of the main medical waste disposal methods, the types of waste they are best suited for, and key regulatory or best practice notes:
Disposal Method | Waste Types Treated | Description & Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
Incineration | Pathological, pharmaceutical, some hazardous waste | Burns waste at high temperatures; destroys pathogens; required for pathological waste; regulated emissions. |
Autoclaving | Infectious waste, some sharps | Uses high-pressure steam to sterilize; not suitable for all waste (e.g., chemotherapy waste). |
Microwaving | Infectious waste, some non-hazardous waste | Uses microwave radiation to disinfect; effective for many pathogens. |
Chemical Treatment | Liquid chemical waste, some laboratory waste | Neutralizes hazardous chemicals; often uses chlorine; for chemical and liquid waste. |
Landfilling | Treated, decontaminated, or non-hazardous waste | Only for waste rendered non-infectious; must comply with local landfill regulations. |
Recycling | Some non-hazardous or properly treated materials | Only for non-infectious, non-hazardous waste; sharps are never recycled. |
Sharps are always placed in puncture-proof containers and never recycled.
Color-coded containers help prevent cross-contamination: red for biohazardous waste, white/yellow for sharps, black for hazardous waste, and blue for non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste.
Best practices include strict segregation at the source using color-coded containers and compliance with all regulatory requirements.
What Is Medical Waste?
Medical waste refers to any waste generated by the healthcare industry, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and medical research facilities. Waste generated by these healthcare facilities is commonly referred to as healthcare waste.
Typically, medical waste can be divided into two categories – regular and regulated medical waste, also known as biohazardous waste.
Biohazardous waste is any waste that contains infectious materials or potentially infectious substances such as blood.
Waste streams refer to the different categories of waste generated, each requiring specific handling and disposal methods to prevent cross-contamination and ensure safety.
Regulated medical waste can come in many forms, including sharps (such as needles and syringes), pathological waste (such as human tissue), and infectious waste (such as culture dishes and Petri dishes). These different types are classified into specific medical waste streams, and understanding the various waste streams is crucial for ensuring proper disposal and regulatory compliance. Some of this waste is potentially infectious, requiring careful handling to prevent risks to public health and the environment. Therefore, it is important to understand what constitutes regulated medical waste, the different types, and the best practices for the disposal of medical waste. In this blog, when we refer to medical waste, we are referring to regulated medical waste.
Types of Medical Waste
Medical waste can be classified into several categories, each with its own specific handling requirements. According to the WHO, fifteen percent of the waste created by healthcare facilities may be infectious, chemical, or radioactive and therefore need special treatment during the disposal process. Healthcare facilities must also track the amount of medical waste generated, as understanding the volume and type of waste is crucial for determining appropriate disposal and treatment methods. Infectious waste includes potentially infectious materials such as body fluids and human blood, which require careful handling to prevent the spread of disease. Determining what categories trash items fall into is step one of how to dispose of medical waste properly.
Non-hazardous Waste
Non-hazardous waste from hospitals includes items like food waste, packaging, paper products, and general medical waste that poses no risk to humans and doesn’t need to be disposed of any differently than traditional waste from other institutions.
Sharps Waste
Sharps waste includes needles, syringes, hypodermic needles, scalpels, and other sharp medical instruments that can puncture skin and must be disposed of in puncture-proof containers. Improper disposal of sharps, such as hypodermic needles, can transmit infectious diseases including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Disposal practices must ensure that no one is injured or infected by these tools. It is essential to use appropriate personal protective equipment when handling sharps waste to prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Infectious Waste
Waste from hospitals that includes materials contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids and other potentially infectious materials, as well as laboratory samples and cultures, are considered infectious waste. In addition, any waste used with infected patients should be treated as infectious waste.
Pathological Waste
Pathological waste from hospitals, also known as ‘pathology waste’ in laboratory settings, includes tissues, organs, body parts, and fetuses, which require specialized handling and disposal to prevent contamination.
Pathology waste may also include hazardous chemicals used in laboratory analysis, such as solvents and formalin, which require special handling and disposal procedures to ensure safety.
Chemical Waste
Chemical waste from hospitals or laboratories includes discarded chemicals, such as disinfectants, solvents, and pharmaceuticals, that may pose environmental or health risks if not handled properly. Chemical disinfection is often used to treat chemical and liquid waste before disposal, as it helps sterilize and neutralize hazardous and infectious agents. Chemical waste can include liquid waste, which requires specific treatment methods to prevent environmental contamination. Heavy metals from batteries or thermometers may also be considered chemical waste.
Pharmaceutical Waste
Expired, unused, or contaminated medications and vaccinations can endanger public health if not disposed of properly. Trace chemotherapy waste is a specific type of pharmaceutical waste that must be segregated and disposed of according to strict regulations.
Cytotoxic Waste
Materials contaminated with cytotoxic drugs used in chemotherapy are toxic to cells and can be harmful to human health and the environment. These are any types of medicines that contain toxic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic properties.
Radioactive Waste
When working with nuclear medicine technologies and radiation procedures, radioactive waste can be left behind. This includes items that have come in contact with radioactive elements called radionuclides.
Now that we’ve covered the types of medical waste, let’s look at how these are handled and disposed of.
How Is Medical Waste Disposed Of?
Properly handling medical waste by medical facilities is crucial to prevent public health and environmental risks. Health care facilities are responsible for ensuring the safe disposal of medical waste, starting from segregation and storage to final treatment, which typically finishes in an incinerator or is disinfected and placed in a landfill. Healthcare waste generators are responsible for their medical waste disposal until the point of final disposal under cradle-to-grave requirements. The entire process of how to dispose of medical waste looks something like this:
Step 1: Separation
At the hospital or medical institution, staff members must start the medical waste disposal process properly by performing waste segregation, which involves separating materials into designated containers according to the specific waste streams they belong to. For example, sharps must be placed in FDA-approved sharps containers that are puncture-resistant and leak-proof, while other medical waste containers are used to collect and transport different waste streams for further treatment.
Step 2: Preparation
The waste must also be packaged in accordance with the DOT and local regulations. Some materials require strict labeling and packaging requirements. Institutions can work with their medical waste disposal service providers to make sure they understand all the specific guidelines.
Step 3: Removal
While a few large organizations disinfect medical waste on-site, most work with medical waste management companies who take over the process at this step. In most cases, medical waste is transported off site for treatment at specialized facilities. The company you choose to work with will pick up medical waste in a truck and often supply you with new containers for the next batch.
Step 4: Treatment and Disposal
The medical waste management company will transport waste to a treatment facility, such as a licensed Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF), where various treatment methods are used to ensure the waste is properly treated and rendered non-infectious before final disposal. What this looks like can depend on local, state, and federal guidelines. In the next section, we’ll examine what happens to medical waste once it reaches this stage.
Where Does Medical Waste Go?
Medical waste is typically taken to a medical waste treatment facility for proper disposal. This may include incineration, autoclaving, or chemical treatment, depending on the type of waste and regulations. Medical waste incinerators operate at extremely high temperatures, often exceeding 800 degrees Celsius, to effectively destroy pathogens and ensure complete sterilization, especially for hazardous waste like pathological and pharmaceutical waste. For example, pathological waste must always be incinerated.
Other types of medical waste may be disinfected through autoclaving, which uses steam sterilization with high pressure and temperature to safely treat the waste before it is sent to landfills.
Both large quantity generators and small quantity generators of medical waste must comply with regulations regarding treatment and disposal.
Incineration
Ever wondered “how do hospitals dispose of body parts?” They send them to be incinerated. Incineration was once the most common method for the disposal of lots of types of medical waste. This method involves burning the waste at high temperatures and reducing it to ash. While incineration effectively destroys infectious agents and pathogens, it can also release harmful pollutants into the air. This is why changes to EPA regulations in 1997 encouraged new methods of medical waste disposal to be developed.
Autoclaving
Autoclaving is now the most common method for the disposal of medical waste. This method involves sterilizing the waste using high-pressure steam. Autoclaving is effective at destroying pathogens, but it may not be appropriate for certain types of waste, such as chemotherapy waste. Once an item has been sterilized through autoclaving, it may head to a solid waste landfill or be incinerated.
Chemical Treatment
Chemical treatment is a less common method for the disposal of medical waste. This method involves neutralizing chemical waste to make it inactive.
Microwaving
Similarly to autoclaving, microwaving uses technology to disinfect and sterilize medical waste before it is discarded into landfills. During this process, a microwave is used to destroy harmful bacteria or viruses.
Medical Waste Disposal Best Practices
Proper disposal of medical waste is crucial to protect public health and the environment. Following best practices is essential to protect workers and ensure disease control throughout the waste management process. The following tips provide a guideline for best practices in the disposal of medical waste:
Select a Reputable Medical Waste Disposal Company
Choose a licensed and compliant organization that prioritizes safety and sustainability. Cost-effectiveness is also important—review a list of the top medical waste removal companies or reach out for help to ensure you’re getting the best value.Focus on Awareness and Training
Ensure all staff are trained in the rules and procedures for medical waste disposal, including segregation, storage, labeling, and transport. Provide written instructions for reference.Segregate Waste Properly
Use the correct containers and labels for each waste stream to ensure safety and compliance. Proper segregation protects employees, waste handlers, and the public.Know the Law
Stay up to date with state and federal regulations from agencies such as the EPA, CDC, OSHA, and FDA. Compliance depends on the volume and type of waste generated.Keep Records
Maintain detailed documentation of every stage of medical waste disposal, as required by state law. Good records can protect your organization from future liability.Audit Your Medical Waste Disposal Company
Conduct regular audits, ideally with a third-party company like P3 Cost Analysts, to ensure you are not overpaying and that you receive the services you are promised. Learn more about waste management audits.
How to Dispose of Medical Waste Wisely
There are many medical waste disposal companies that you can choose from, but finding the most cost-effective solution is not always easy. Working with a third-party company like P3 Cost Analysts is the wisest way to handle this problem.
Whether you feel you’re overpaying for your current services and need an expert to help go through your invoices, or you’ve had enough and are ready to negotiate with a new provider, we can help. We have a team of professionals with years in the industry that can help you navigate the tricky contractual language and confusing billing practices.
If you’re ready to get your medical waste disposal costs under control, reach out to us today.
