Problems Associated With Medical Waste

In the United States, as in most other countries, hazardous waste has been defined as materials that are flammable, corrosive, unstable or toxic, and that pose a threat to human health or the environment. Medical waste meets that criterion.

Biohazards

• Many waste products from the healthcare industry are referred to as "biohazards." These are either comprised of chemicals that are toxic, are radioactive---emit dangerous particle energy, or are infectious. Examples of medical waste are body fluids, body parts or tissue, biological cultures or samples, and "chemotherapeutic" waste, which are empty vials, fluid lines, catheters, syringes, needles and gloves. Add in mercury waste, laboratory solvents and disinfectants, plus expired pharmaceuticals.

  One particular problem that has always been emphasized are "sharps"---needles and syringes, because of their high probability of stick value or of breaking the skin.

Hazards Spelled Out

• Infectious wastes such as body parts, blood and other fluids, are dangerous because many of these harbor microorganisms that cause disease and are subsequently called pathogens.

  There is also the risk of airborne bacterial infections, which can result in TB, tuberculosis, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus---a powerful staph infection), and other infections such as tetanus, a microbial poison.

Amounts Are Enormous

• When medical waste washed up on a southern New Jersey eight-mile stretch of shoreline, residents were aghast. According to a Health Care Without Harm article, "Hospitals generate more than two million tons of waste each year." But other United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) figures have put it at approximately 4.5 million tons.

  You have to realize that this amount comes not only from hospitals, but physician's offices, dentist's offices, clinics, blood banks, research facilities and universities including veterinary hospitals.

Disposal Problems

• Hazardous waste is disposed of in these ways: incineration, landfills, bioremediation and injection wells. Incineration is problematic although it does reduce the volume of waste. The trouble with it is high costs, the danger of hazardous ash disposal, along with the dozens of pollutants including mercury, dioxin and furon (a plastic) that are created in the process.

  With landfills the drawback is the pollution hazard and run-off into the water systems. Injection wells mean pushing the waste deep into the earth, but aquifer contamination---the water supplied to springs---and not knowing the end result pose concerns.

Bioremediation

• Bioremediation is a system of converting waste into by-products that are nonhazardous by using microorganisms. The long treatment time and the difficulty of controlling the natural degradation make it unreliable for medical waste. Also, it is mostly done "in situ" (on site).

Microwaving

• Microwaving has only been done small scale and the costs are prohibitive. Still, smaller models using dry heat are being used in laboratories and clinics. This method calls for a high exposure time and only meets minimum disinfection levels.

Chemicals

• Using lime or acid in a composting-type situation is what chemical treatments are, but unwanted by-products do result. A process called "alkaline hydroloysis" is used to destroy anatomical parts and it employs a sodium or potassium hydroxide combined with steam, which breaks down the organic materials into basic acids, sugars and soaps. It is most promising but still small scale.