Hospital disposables

PP has inherent good barrier properties and high clarity, in addition to proper radiation resistance. Properties which made PP one of the best candidates in medical devices and packaging applications (parenteral nutrition and dialysis films, blister packaging and flexible pouches, syringes, tubing, hospital disposables, test tubes, beakers and pipettes). Medical grade PP is used mostly as blown, cast films and also as coextruded layered structures. 

Polyesters are also used in continuous filament spunbonded nonwovens (see Nonwoven fabrics). Reemay spunbonded fabric is composed of continuous filament PET with a polyester copolymer binder. These spunbonded fabrics are available in a wide range of thicknesses and basis weights and can be used for electrical insulation, coated fabric substrates, disposable apparel for clean rooms, hospitals, and geotextiles (qv). 

Water-Soluble Films. Water-soluble films can be produced from such polymers as poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH), methylceUulose, poly(ethylene oxide), or starch (qv) (see Cellulose ethers Polyethers Vinyl polymers). Water-soluble films are used for packaging and dispensing portions of detergents, bleaches, and dyes. A principal market is disposable laundry bags for hospital use. Disposal packaging for herbicides and insecticides is an emerging use. 

Ca.rdia.c-AssistDevices. The principal cardiac-assist device, the intra-aortic balloon pump (lABP), is used primarily to support patients before or after open-heart surgery, or patients who go into cardiogenic shock. As of the mid-1990s, the lABP was being used more often to stabilize heart attack victims, especially in community hospitals which do not provide open-heart surgery. The procedure consists of a balloon catheter inserted into the aorta which expands and contracts to assist blood flow into the circulatory system and to reduce the heart s workload by about 20%. The disposable balloon is powered by an external pump console. 

Mercury oxide and silver oxide button batteries are sometimes collected by jewelers, pharmacies, hospitals, and electronic or hearing aid stores for shipping them to companies that reclaim mercury or silver. Some batteries cannot be recycled. If recycling is not possible, batteries should be saved for disposing of at a hazardous waste collection. Battery recycling and button battery collection may be good options at present, but may change as the mercury concentration in the majority of button batteries continues to decrease. 

Prevention of acquisition of C. difficile in a hospital setting includes careful attention to hand washing, disposable gloves, wise antibiotic policies and enteric precautions. 

NEUTREC A flue-gas desulfurization process, intended for treating the waste gases from incinerators for municipal, hospital, and industrial wastes. Sodium bicarbonate, optionally mixed with active carbon, is injected into the gases after the usual bag filter, and the solid products are removed in a second bag filter. Sodium compounds can be recovered from the product for reuse, and ary toxic compounds disposed of separately. Developed by Solvay and operated in Europe since 1991. 

Off-site disposal of regulated medical wastes remains a viable option for smaller hospitals (those with less than 150 beds). Some preliminary on-site processing, such as compaction or hydropulping, may... 

On-site disposal is a feasible alternative for hospitals generating two tons or more per day of total solid waste. Common treatment techniques include steam sterilization and incineration. Although other options are available, incineration is currently the preferred method for on-site treatment of hospital waste. 

For hospitals that dispose of waste on their own premises, the optimum treatment method is... 

Evaporation ponds are often viewed negatively, particularly due to potential salinisation of local land, unpleasant odours and aesthetic problems (Christen et al. 1999). The siting and design of an evaporation pond must then take these factors into account. The planting of trees around the perimeter of a disposal basin has been suggested as a way to increase social acceptance. The pond site should also include a bulfer zone to position the pond an appropriate distance away from residential and commercial areas, schools, hospitals and other public areas (Jolly et al. 2000 Christen et al. 1999). 

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