Healthcare facilities produce a variety of wastes that are potentially hazardous or infectious. These wastes require special disposal. The U.S. Healthcare System produces over five million tons waste every year. This includes needles used for routine vaccinations, tumours removed from patient, trace chemicals left in an IV line and bloodied supplies after treating injuries.
Less than 8% of the millions of tonnes of waste generated each year by hospitals is classified as regulated Medical Waste (RMW) and requires specialized treatment companies like Biosafepro. Autoclaves and incineration are the two primary methods for treating medical waste.
What Is Medical Waste Incineration?
Incineration of medical wastes is a process that involves burning certain wastes such as pathological wastes and pharmaceuticals without hazardous substances. It is regarded as the most efficient and safest way to treat these wastes and it prevents harming the environment or our health. Incineration is not the only option. Other technologies such as autoclaving or chemical treatment, and ozone disinfection are also available, but they are unable to destroy certain medical wastes. Incineration may be required in certain states for some medical waste streams.
What types of medical waste are incinerated?
You should always refer to the Waste Acknowledgement Policy of your waste vendor. This policy will outline what they will accept or not and under what circumstances. The following wastes are accepted by Biosafepro for incineration, but not autoclave treatment.
- Pathological waste: Tissues or organs of humans or animals, limbs or surgical specimens and other body parts that have been cleaned from formaldehyde or formalin or any other chemical preservatives.
- Biosafepro’s guidelines for packaging paraffin wax blocks are specific.
- Prion Waste: Packaged in accordance with Biosafepro’s guidelines.
- Non-hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste: Pharmaceuticals that have not been classified as hazardous by either the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or an equivalent state agency.
- Trace Chemotherapy waste: Waste that has been contaminated by chemotherapeutic agents or through previous contact.
Why choose Biosafepro Incineration for Medical Waste Disposal and Regulated Medical waste disposal?
The laws and best practices in managing medical waste are different around the world. Biosafepro operates nine incinerators in North America that are all operating well below the allowed emission limits.
Biosafepro is dedicated to supporting healthcare organizations and the environment by managing waste responsibly using best practices and required regulatory requirements. The company invests continuously in incinerator technologies to offer waste-management services which protect the public against harmful wastes and are aligned with the climate goals of the healthcare industry. Biosafepro’s efforts are aimed at ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and environmental responsibility.
What does the future of medical waste incineration look like?
Biosafepro opened in Nevada a new state-of the-art hospital, medical, and infectious waste incineration facility. The facility has two rotary incinerators that can burn 7,000 pounds of waste per hour. Each unit is equipped with an air pollution system that reduces harmful emissions. The ash produced is then transported to a landfill that has been approved for disposal.
The location was designed to be environmentally friendly and sustainable. This facility is a blueprint for future HMIWIs. It was designed to reduce Biosafepro’s dependence on natural gas and fresh water. Reclaimed water and onsite treatment were used, and a system of plant process water reuse created that eliminates industrial wastewater discharge. The facility also included waste-to energy technology to produce steam energy using the waste treatment process emission.
Learn how Biosafepro ‘s RMW services and approach to Medical Waste Processing can help you achieve compliance while protecting the planet.
