According to statistics, the total amount of waste coming from medical institutions is three percent. Such waste is one of the most hazardous, so the disposal process is given special attention. Waste generated in all medical departments has its own structuring and classification, taking into account which the main measures are taken:
- Accounting.
- Collection.
- Storage.
- Disposal.
Sanitary and epidemiological rules (SanPiN) must be strictly observed by both employees of hospitals, laboratories, and specialists who are professionally involved in the disposal of medical waste.
Composition of medical waste
The generation of medical waste is not considered to be a specific phenomenon. These can be emissions not only from hospitals, but also from laboratories, conventional pharmacies and large pharmaceutical factories. Like any trashwaste from medical institutions are divided into types. These include:
- Plastic. This includes droppers, syringes, blisters, inhalers, various pharmaceutical packages, etc. As such, such plastic does not pose a danger, however, medication residues may remain in such packages, and this, in turn, has a negative impact on the environment and humans. Plastic accounts for about 40 percent of the total weight of waste.
- Paper. This type is considered the safest, however, in paper packages, as in plastic, there may be residues of drugs. 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, jars, test tubes, pipettes, etc. Of the total volume in weight is 10%.
- Metal. These are needles, scalpels, tongs, blades, etc.
- Biological material. It can be blood, saliva, tissue fragments, muscles, bones, nails, hair, urine, feces, etc. Special furnaces are used to dispose of such waste. Volume is 20%.
- Chemicals. This includes direct medications (unused or expired), reagents and medical equipment items.
Decontamination
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 recycling, waste materialsdecontaminate, as certain items have been in direct contact with patients who have been found to have severe infectious diseases.
Medicine waste 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 factories there should be containers of different colors specially designated for the separation of waste. Utilization of honey. waste by hazard class is as follows:
- Class A. Considered the safest category. This includes construction waste, damaged medical equipment, stationery, non-contaminated paper, furniture, and other non-toxic materials that do not cause epidemic harm. The volume of waste of the class is the largest - 80%. Containers are painted white.
- Class B. Medical waste of this class is classified as hazardous, as it is thrown out of the infectious and pathological departments. Most often, these are tools contaminated with pathogenic organisms, organic materials, liquids, etc. The volume of waste thrown out depends on the profile of the institution or production. According to statistics, class B emissions can range from 10 to 50%. In this case, the containers are colored yellow. As a subject for collection, workers use special packages, after which mandatory disinfection and disposal of garbage is carried out.
- Class B. Waste is extremely hazardous. ToThis category includes medical devices that have direct contact with seriously ill patients with viral diseases. Emissions come from phthisiatric and mycological departments or from microbiological laboratory centers. Containers are colored red. To prevent emergencies, waste must be decontaminated in recyclers. Such installations are most often located outside institutions and industries. Transportation of class B medical waste is strictly prohibited without prior decontamination.
- Grade D. Any expired chemicals, mercury, or cytostatics. In terms of hazard level, these wastes are similar to industrial ones. They are highly toxic, 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 drugs, etc. In this case, the containers are black. According to the SanPin regulations, the classification and disposal of honey. waste is de alt with exclusively by specialists, adhering to all standards.
- Class D. This includes radioactive waste. The recycling 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, D. Each package for the disposal of honey. waste should be of different colors. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) lining the outer layer, which provides strength without tearing. The inner layer -low density polyethylene (LDPE). For the impermeability of the bag, there is a tie, which is an indispensable element.
Before you start collecting and disposing of honey. waste of any class, the head of the enterprise must necessarily draw up an official document - a passport and coordinate everything with the person responsible for the collection of waste. Without this document, any medical waste disposal activities are prohibited.
Who is allowed
Under no circumstances are persons inexperienced, who do not know all the rules and requirements of the procedure, allowed to the site where garbage will be collected or disposed of. This can be very dangerous for a person. Everything must take place strictly according to the regulations of the sanitary and epidemiological rules.
Waste transportation
For the removal of medical waste, special transport with the appropriate markings is used (class A, B, C, D or D). It is not possible to carry other goods in it. In case of emergencies, if the integrity of the packages or containers is broken and the waste was removed while being directly in the transport, 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, which is designed to streamline the number of packaging units. Also included is the exact weight, pickup information, and the name of the shipping company.
Ruleswaste decontamination
Mandatory disinfection, before being collected in bags and containers, is subject to class B and C waste. The disinfection procedure is carried out using a special solution prepared in advance in a separate container. Disinfection does not require mandatory export 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 be disinfected daily by specially trained people working in a medical institution.
Decontamination methods
The following methods are used as disinfection:
- Chemical. Waste is treated with liquids containing chlorine and other disinfectants. Required only for food waste or various patient excretions.
- Ultra high frequency treatment in ovens.
- Hydroclaving - disinfection with hot steam under strong pressure.
Waste regulations
There are specially equipped sites and premises for working with medical waste of any class according to all standards. So, for example, in enclosed spaces for disinfection, storage and disposal, there must be bactericidal irradiators and good ventilation. 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 1once a month.
For the disposal of biological and pathological waste (bones, tissues, organs, muscle fragments, etc.), it is mandatory to take measures for burial in separate cemeteries or cremation in ovens. Disinfection of this waste is not needed.
To prevent the reuse of discarded items, machine sterilization is carried out and physical methods are used to visually change the appearance of waste. The most common methods are pressing and crushing.
Mandatory requirements and prohibitions
There are certain restrictions on the collection and storage of medical waste. These include:
- destruction of class B and C waste manually;
- pouring loose materials;
- manual compaction of waste;
- interaction with waste without gloves or special protective clothing;
- using soft containers to collect dangerous instruments (scalpel, forceps, needles, etc.);
- installation at a distance of less than one meter from any heating devices for reusable and disposable containers.
Danger of improper disposal of medical waste
Due to the neglect of the rules, people involved in the organization and disposal of honey. waste can create an emergency. For example, cutting yourself with a scalpel or accidentally pricking yourself with a used needle. In this case, the victim should be provided with emergency assistance. An appropriate entry is made in the accounting log about the situation that has occurred, afteran act is drawn up in which everything is described in detail.
If the process of collecting, storing and disposing of honey. waste has not been carried out in accordance with all the rules, this can lead to serious consequences. Poisoning of the environment may begin, for example, when certain antibiotics and cytotoxic drugs enter the soil or water.
Many infections are very resistant to drugs and environmental factors, so there is a risk of epidemics if waste is not properly disposed of.
