The Facts of Biohazardous Waste Disposal
August 15, 2020 Amanda Perkins
Biohazardous waste is the subset waste accumulated at health care facilities like hospitals, blood banks, medical laboratories, nursing homes, crime scenes, and in home environments during unattended deaths. Usually, this waste settles while contaminated by blood, body fluids, and infected medical materials. Although other elements like household disinfectants, industrial fuels, fertilizers, and pesticides contain hazardous substances; medical waste is a more serious concern and must be disposed of properly to avoid potential serious consequences
Why is the disposal of biohazardous waste important?
Facts have proven that out of total medical waste 85% is non-hazardous and the remaining 15% is hazardous waste yet affects the most. The improper management of biohazardous waste would result in the following hazards:
- Health Risks: The biohazardous waste contains the harmful components that can affect the human body with inflicted injuries, chemical burns, toxic infections, etc. Infections can be transferred into human bodies if this waste is not disposed of properly.
CDC guideline states that, the dispose of medical waste should be properly packed in bio-waste containers, transferred by a certified company, and disposed of at a certified waste disposal facility. If the guidelines are not followed then that waste will not be collected and can potentially spread or cross contaminate environments not healthy for human occupation.
- Environmental Impact: If the healthcare waste is not disposed of properly or disposed of in landfills then it will not only affect the environment, but also affect public health indirectly. The toxins and disinfectants available in that waste can release more toxic materials and can harm the forestation and then indirectly lead to contamination into water, land, and air fouling.
As per CDC Guidelines, Infections liberated by not disposing of the bio-hazardous waste could be:
- Skin Infections
- Bacteremia
- Lung Infections
- Parasitic Infections
- Hepatitis B and C viruses
Bio-One of Tucson is a certified biohazardous waste clean-up and transporter of biohazardous waste to secure disposal facilities within the Tucson and surrounding areas community. If you or someone you know encounters a biohazardous situation do not try to remediate the situation yourself. The CDC imposes large fines if biohazardous waste is not properly contained and disposed of in the correct manner. In making sure you have a certified company handle these matters you are not only protecting yourself from liability, but your responsible actions help to keep all those in your community safe. Click here for a full list of licensed transporters in Arizona.
Please call Bio-One of Tucson at 520-771-5960 if you need a free quote for a biohazard clean-up.
