Biomedical Waste Management Definition, Facts, and Best Practices Biomedical Waste Management

Definition of Biomedical Waste “Medical waste that contains potentially infectious material.” 1988 Medical Waste Tracking Act defines it as, “waste generated during medical research, testing, diagnosis, immunization, or treatment of human beings or animals.”

Names for Biomedical Waste Infectious Medical Waste Bio Medical Waste Regulated Medical Waste Clinical Waste Healthcare Waste Medical Waste Biohazardous Waste

Types of Biomedical Waste Sharps (needles, scalpels, lancets, broken glass, etc.) Infectious Waste (swabs, lab cultures, excreta, etc.) Pathological (human fluids, body parts, animal carcasses)

Non-Biological Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Chemicals (cleaning products, mercury from broken thermometers) Genotoxic Waste (e.g. cytotoxic drugs for cancer treatment)

How Much Biohazardous Waste Per Year? 5.9 million tons of medical waste per year 85% is non-hazardous Approx. 1 million tons biomedical waste per year 16 billion injections per year 2 million needles per day 800,000 needle sticks per year (per NIOSH)

Brief History of Biomedical Waste 1980’s – Highly publicized medical waste incidents (“Hypodermics on the shore”) 1988 – Federal Medical Waste Tracking Act (Strict rules on medical waste transportation) 1991 – FMWT Act expires. States adopt regulatory burden. Present Day – Advancements in biomedical waste processing, including medical waste transfer by mail.

Regulated Biomedical Waste vs Unregulated Regulated Medical Waste Biomedical Waste (Sharps, swaps, tissues, body fluids, parts) Other Hazardous Waste (Pharmaceuticals, radioactive, chemical) Unregulated Medical Waste Other waste generated by health care facilities, including disposable tissues, paper waste, food waste, etc. This accounts for 85% of all health care waste, or about 5 million tons per year.

Risk to Human Health Needle sticks (800,000 per year) Microorganisms Nurses, doctors, housekeepers, janitors, recycling employees, general public Microorganisms Poisoning from bio toxins Contaminated drinking water and environment

On-Site vs Off-Site Treatment On-Site: Limited to large, well-funded facilities (high cost, regulation) Off-Site: Cost effective. Third-party vendors own and maintain equipment and assume regulatory burden.

Types of Off-Site Biomedical Waste Management Truck Services – Biomedical waste is packaged in special containers, then hauled away to a dedicated disposal facility. Mail-Back or Box Services – Biomedical waste is shipped via USPS. Generally most cost-effective.

Five Biomedical Waste Management Options Incineration – Once the method of choice. Still the only method for human/animal tissues and body parts. Autoclaving – Steam treatment. Once treated, waste can be disposed of normally in solid-waste landfills. Microwaving – High-powered microwave renders waste inert. Can then be disposed of normally. Chemical – Works for some biomedical waste but mostly for chemical waste. Biological – Uses enzymes. Still experimental.

Best Practices for Biomedical Waste Management Know the Laws – EPA, DOT, OSHA, DEA. Classify Correctly – Don’t mix with non-hazardous waste. Separate by Type – Sharps, pathological, non-hazardous, chemical, pharma. Use the Right Containers – Certified cardboard boxes, tubs, or even locked up. Prepare for Shipment – Follow DOT regs. Label. Store in secure, dry area. Correct Documentation – Correct documents accompany each container. Color Code – Right waste in right color container. Hire the Right Partner – Right vendor for regs, hazards, type, insurance level.

Color Coding of Medical Waste Red – Sharps (puncture-proof containers) Red – Biomedical waste (non-sharps in red biohazard bags/containers) Yellow – Trace chemo waste Black – Hazardous pharmaceutical waste Blue – Non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste Radioactive Symbol – Radioactive wastes like fluorine-18

Who Creates Biomedical Waste? Physician Practices Home Health Care Retail Health Clinics Home Infusion Situations Dental Offices Funeral Homes Urgent Care Clinics Hospitals Veterinary Practices Commercial Offices Medical Research Labs Commercial Buildings Nursing Homes

Biomedical Waste Resources EPA Map – List of local and state regulating bodies and programs. MedPro Waste Disposal – Low-cost, fully compliant pickup, transportation, treatment, and disposal. WHO Manual – 308 pages on safe management of health care waste. EPA safe sharps disposal document. Waste Savings Calculator.

Conclusion Biomedical waste is potentially infectious. AKA: medical waste, clinical waste, biohazardous, RMW Types: Sharps, infectious waste, pathological waste 1 million tons per year 800,000 needle sticks per year (per NIOSH) On-Site or Off-Site Treatment Incinerate, autoclave, microwave Know the laws, package, and color-code correctly