When a healthcare worker reports to work, one of the foremost things on his or her mind is being affected by biohazardous waste, also referred to as biomedical waste or infectious waste. This waste contains material that is infectious including blood-soaked materials, scalpel blades, needles and other waste that is contaminated with body fluids or medications such as chemo drugs. Medical waste pollution does not affect just humans, though. It also affects the environment.
Causes of Medical Waste
Medical waste is caused by medical facilities not properly separating and disposing of the waste. In some cases, the facility may not be at fault, but the delivery service or the medical waste processing plant may be at fault. In this case, the medical facility is still fined. Medical facilities may avoid medical waste problems by properly separating and storing medical waste, and ensuring that the company they use for disposal abides by all state laws. Each person in the healthcare industry, regardless of his or her position, is responsible for ensuring that medical waste is properly stored and disposed of, including those treating medical waste.
“Every year an estimated 16 billion injections are administered worldwide, but not all of the needles and syringes are properly disposed of afterwards.”
Even in today’s day and age, and with all of the knowledge of how medical waste affects people and the environment, some medical facilities and treatment companies still improperly dispose of medical waste, whether from poor training or purposeful improper disposal.
Hazards Associated with Hospital Waste
The effects of medical waste on human health and on the environment are astronomical. It could cause severe illness or even death. If medical waste ends up close to wildlife refuges such as parks, lakes and other natural habitats, whole populations of wildlife could be wiped out if the medical waste is pharmaceuticals. Medications, especially those that are brightly colored, are attractive to birds and other animals.
Groundwater is easily contaminated with medical waste that hasn’t been properly treated. Once it gets into the groundwater, it may be ingested by animals and humans. Landfills are made to keep all waste in a controlled area. Some may have liners to keep the waste from seeping into the environment. Throwing sharps away could puncture these liners, which then allows liquids from waste – household and improperly processed medical waste – to seep into the groundwater and soil.
Sometimes the tools and devices doctors use for diagnostic purposes are radioactive. If any disposable tool or device is improperly disposed of, radioactivity will enter the landfills and other areas. The radioactive particles are dangers to humans and animal. Radioactive disease is just one of the diseases caused by medical waste. Other disease humans may contract include AIDS, cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis B and SARS.
Finally, some the pollutants from medical waste may become airborne if the waste is not incinerated at the proper temperature. If these pollutants are carrying airborne diseases, anyone who breathes the pollution could be affected.
The Effects of Biomedical Waste Management
Waste management that is inadequate could cause a lot of environmental problems, and it starts with the medical facility. If all employees are trained in the disposal and storage of medical waste, you have a good start at minimizing the effects of biomedical waste. Employees should know that sharps need to be in a container that cannot be punctured and that anything with chemotherapy residue on it should go into the radioactive disposal container.
If waste is handled properly by the medical personnel from those working at the medical facility, through the haulers and waste disposal companies, you can significantly reduce the risk of disease caused by medical waste. The World Health Organization states that about 5 percent of hospital patients are affected by hospital-based infections.