Problems With Biological Waste Disposal

One of the most overlooked, yet dangerous, types of waste is biological waste. Biological waste can carry infectious disease and produce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Despite heavy regulation, the disposal of biological waste often runs into problems out of ignorance of proper procedure. Preventing improper disposal of biological waste can even have economic benefits.

• Needles are common biological waste.

Identification

• Medical related fields consider any living or formerly alive waste involved in testing or research a biological waste. The Environmental Protection Agency considers any dead, carbon based life form to be biological waste. Biological waste in the medical industry usually consists of needles and beakers. Municipal biological waste consists of yard trimmings and wood chips.

Regulation

• Which regulatory agencies govern the disposal of medical and municipal biological waste varies depending on the state, but usually the state health department controls biological waste, reports the EPA. Most waste today gets incinerated after the 1988 Medical Waste Tracking Act determined that was the best method for disposal.

Improper Disposal

• Both medical and municipal biological waste cause problems when people do not dispose of refuse in the most manageable way. Needles often get discarded with municipal waste; however, medical waste like needles should never enter municipal landfills, according to the EPA. Bio waste such as vegetation should not enter landfills, as yard wastes produce methane when they degrade in a dump.

Mixing

• In medical waste, ascertaining the difference between chemical and biological waste often causes confusion. According to Purdue University, laboratory biological and chemical waste should never mix. A common chemical mistaken for biological waste is agarose gel used in DNA testing. A chemical waste confused for biological can leak toxins into a dump and contaminate nearby environments.

Prevention/Solution

• Preventing cross contamination or the unnecessary disposal of biological waste requires only a couple of extra steps. The EPA urges you to consider starting a compost heap in your backyard to dispose of yard clippings and food waste; compost improves soil and saves money on purchasing commercial fertilizer. Most medical businesses offer to dispose of used needles for free, according to the EPA. Even better, you can exchange dirty needles for clean ones through the North American Syringe Exchange Network (see Resources section).