Disposal of medical waste - what does waste separation look like in hospitals

Hospitals are considered to be one of the biggest producers of medical waste. What is more, some of them are waste with the so-called increased risk of contamination. No wonder that medical institutions have to pay the greatest attention to proper segregation and utilisation of the produced waste. Therefore, how should waste segregation look like in hospitals?

What is medical waste?

Medical waste is a domain of hospitals and medical institutions. It is an extremely characteristic group of waste, which consists of all leftovers and items that are a by-product of medical services performed. They can be generated both in inpatient and outpatient facilities. Furthermore, medical waste also includes all by-products of examinations and tests. Some of them may increase the risk of contamination or be toxic substances.

How do you dispose of medical waste?

Medical waste is most often disposed of using microwaves. This is done with special devices that emit micro waves. Of course, before this can happen, medical waste has to be thoroughly cleaned using steam. Moreover, it is also subjected to crushing and long-term soaking. This is to help eliminate all the toxic substances that increase the risk of contamination. The processing itself, i.e. the microwave disposal of medical waste, takes no more than 30 minutes. Then, for full and complete disinfection, the waste is put into a chamber where it is stored at a temperature of approximately 95 degrees Celsius.

Read which medical waste bins to use in hospitals

Where do you dispose of medical waste?

Medical waste is an integral part of everyday life in hospitals and other medical facilities. Therefore it is an absolute necessity that they are equipped with medical waste bins. However, medical waste bins should be properly adjusted. Above all, their capacity will be of great importance. It must be adjusted in such a way as to minimize the frequency of emptying the containers. Moreover, medical waste should be collected by a specialised company. It is important, however, that medical facilities are equipped with appropriate hospital waste bins, which will enable efficient segregation of all waste, and not only the medical waste itself.

Containers for medical waste

Hospital waste bins may not be the same as regular rubbish bins. It turns out that medical waste bins should be made of high quality materials, which are additionally resistant to contact with corrosive substances. Hospital waste baskets made of aluminium or stainless steel work best for this purpose. What's more, antibacterial baskets are also recommended for medical facilities. This is a special type of basket, to which the manufacturer usually adds a special substance with an antibacterial effect. Then, such a basket does not accumulate any pathogenic germs on its surface. Most importantly, however, by choosing a pedal bin you can significantly reduce contact with the bin itself. Such hospital waste baskets should not only be placed in patient rooms or toilets. They are also recommended for treatment rooms and even staff rooms. They ensure safe storage of medical waste and the possibility to segregate it.