According to statistics, the total amount of waste coming from medical institutions is three percent. Such waste is one of the most hazardous, therefore, the process of disposal is given special attention. Wastes generated in all medical departments have their own structuring and classification, taking into account which, the main measures are implemented:
- Accounting.
- Collection.
- Storage.
- Disposal
Sanitary and epidemiological rules (SanPiN) must be strictly observed both by employees of hospitals, laboratories, and specialists who are professionally involved in the disposal of medical waste.
The composition of treatment waste
The occurrence of medical waste is not considered to be any specific phenomenon. This can be emissions not only from hospitals, but also from laboratories, ordinary pharmacies and large pharmaceutical plants. Like any garbage, the waste of medical institutions is divided into types. These include:
- Plastic. This includes droppers, syringes, blisters, inhalers, various pharmaceutical packaging, etc. Such plastic does not pose any danger, however, such packages may contain drug residues, and this, in turn, has a negative impact on the environment and humans. . The total weight of waste plastic is about 40 percent.
- Paper. This type is considered the safest, but in paper packaging, as in plastic, there may be drug residues. The total number of emissions is 30%.
- Food waste. Usually these are materials in the form of unused or missing products.
- Glass. It can be glass ampoules, banks, test tubes, pipettes, etc. Of the total volume in weight is 10%.
- Metal. These are needles, scalpels, forceps, blades, etc.
- Biological material. It can be blood, saliva, fragments of tissues, muscles, bones, nails, hair, urine, feces, etc. For the disposal of such waste special furnaces are used. The volume is 20%.
- Chemical substances. This includes direct medical products (unused or expired), reagents and items of medical equipment.
Disinfection
Absolutely all components of medical waste carry a certain kind of danger to humans and the environment in general. For example, some chemicals adversely affect soil, water, and plants. Before disposing, the waste materials are decontaminated, as certain items come in direct contact with patients who have been found to have severe infectious diseases.
Hazard classes
There is a systematization of medical waste, divided into classes. This means that each group of waste requires an individual approach to collection, storage and disposal. That is why in any hospital or pharmaceutical plants, containers of different colors should be specially designated for waste separation. Utilization of honey. waste by hazard class is as follows:
- Class A. Considered the safest category. This includes construction debris, damaged medical equipment, stationery, uncontaminated paper, furniture, and other non-toxic materials that do not cause epidemic harm. The largest class waste volume is 80%. The containers are white.
- Class B. Medical waste of this class is hazardous, as it is discarded from infectious and pathological departments. Most often, these are instruments infected with pathogenic organisms, organic materials, liquids, etc. The amount of discarded waste depends on the profile of the institution or production. According to statistics, class B emissions can vary from 10 to 50%. In this case, the containers are painted yellow. Workers use special packages as an object for collection, after which mandatory decontamination and decontamination of garbage is carried out.
- Class B. Waste is extremely dangerous. This category includes medical devices that have direct contact with seriously ill viral diseases patients. The emission comes from the TB and mycological departments or from microbiological laboratory centers. Containers are painted red. To prevent emergency situations, the waste must be disinfected in utilizers. Such installations are most often located outside institutions and industries. Transportation of Class B medical waste is strictly prohibited without prior disinfection.
- Class G. Any expired chemicals, mercury, or cytostatics. In terms of hazard level, these wastes are similar to industrial ones. They have high toxicity, which is very dangerous for humans. Most often, the largest amount of class G waste is exported from the territory of pharmaceutical enterprises, due to defective batches of preparations, etc. In this case, the containers are black. According to the regulations of SanPin, classification and disposal of honey. waste is exclusively handled by specialists, adhering to all standards.
- Class D. This includes radioactive waste. The disposal process is no different from class G.
Features of the collection and disposal of honey. waste
Packages are used for collection, but they are intended only for waste of classes A, B, C, G. Each package for the disposal of honey. waste should be of different colors. High density polyethylene (HDPE), lining the outer layer, which provides strength, preventing breaks. The inner layer is low density polyethylene (LDPE). For the impermeability of the bag there is a screed, which is an indispensable element.
Before you start collecting and disposing of honey. waste of any class, the head of the enterprise must draw up an official document - a passport and coordinate everything with the person responsible for collecting waste. Without this document, any disposal of medical waste is prohibited.
Who is allowed
Under no circumstances shall persons who are not experienced, who do not know all the norms and requirements of the procedure, are allowed to the site where the collection or disposal of garbage will be made. This can be very dangerous for humans. Everything should go strictly according to the rules of the sanitary-epidemiological rules.
Waste Transportation
For the export of medical waste, special vehicles with the appropriate marking are used (class A, B, C, D or D). It is impossible to transport other goods in it. In case of emergency, if the integrity of the packages or containers was violated and the waste was recovered directly in the vehicle, measures are immediately taken in the form of a vehicle decontamination procedure.
To account for all types and classes of medical waste, there is a technological journal that is designed to streamline the number of packaging units. The exact weight, export information and the name of the organization involved in transportation are also indicated.
Waste Disinfection Rules
Compulsory disinfection, before collection in bags and containers, is subject to waste class B and C. The disinfection procedure is carried out using a special solution prepared in advance in a separate container. Disinfection does not require compulsory removal outside the medical institution; this procedure is carried out on the territory of the medical unit.
According to the sanitary and epidemiological rules, specially trained people working in a medical institution should deal with the disinfection of reusable Class A garbage containers.
Disinfection methods
The following methods are used as disinfection:
- Chemical. The waste is treated with liquids containing chlorine and other disinfectants. Only required for food debris or various kinds of patient discharge.
- Microwave processing in furnaces.
- Hydroclavation - disinfection with hot steam under strong pressure.
Waste Disposal Rules
To work with all standards for medical waste of any class, there are specially equipped sites and facilities. For example, in enclosed spaces for disinfection, storage and disposal, bactericidal irradiators and good ventilation must be present. Walls, equipment, furniture and floors must be constantly washed and sterilized. Wet cleaning should be carried out at least 1 time per day, and general cleaning 1 time per month.
For the disposal of biological and pathological wastes (bones, tissues, organs, muscle fragments, etc.), mandatory measures are taken for burial in separate cemeteries or cremation in furnaces. Disinfection of this waste is not necessary.
To exclude the reuse of disposed objects, hardware sterilization is carried out and physical methods are applied to externally change the type of waste. The most common are pressing and crushing methods.
Mandatory Requirements and Prohibitions
There are certain restrictions on the collection and storage of medical waste. These include:
- manual waste destruction of classes B and C;
- pouring unpacked materials;
- manual ramming of waste;
- interaction with waste without gloves or special protective clothing;
- the use of soft containers for collecting dangerous instruments (scalpel, forceps, needles, etc.);
- installation at a distance of less than one meter from any heating devices of reusable and disposable containers.
Danger of improper disposal of medical waste
Due to neglect of the rules, people involved in the organization and disposal of honey. waste can create an emergency. For example, cut yourself with a scalpel or accidentally prick with a used needle. In this case, the victim should be given emergency assistance. An appropriate entry is made in the accounting journal about the situation that has occurred, after which an act is drawn up in which everything is described in detail.
If the process of collection, storage and disposal of honey. waste was not carried out in accordance with all the rules, this can lead to serious consequences. Environmental poisoning can begin, for example, when certain antibiotics and cytostatic drugs enter the soil or water.
Many infections are very resistant to drugs and environmental factors, therefore, if the waste is not properly disposed of, there is a risk of epidemics.