Infectious waste

Of course, by using hazardous waste fuels, the nation s hazardous waste (including infectious waste) problem is at least partially solved with an economic advantage. 

In many states, regulations only require that hospital incinerators not create a public nuisance usually recognized as odors and smoke opacity. Disposal costs for these medical wastes are becoming stiffer, just as surely as they are for infectious and other hazardous/toxic wastes. This adds another incentive to incinerate. It may be possible that a good deal of hospital waste could be separated, reduced, and recycled. While infectious waste is obviously not recyclable, the amount of waste designated infectious can be greatly reduced by separating materials to avoid excess contamination [74]. 

Incineration has been used extensively in hospitals for disposal of hospital wastes containing infectious and/or hazardous substances. Most hospital incinerators (over 80%), however, are outdated or poorly designed. Modem incineration technology, however, is available for complete destmction of organic hazardous and infectious wastes. In addition, adequate air pollution control facilities, such as scmbbers, secondary combustion chambers, stacks, and so on, are needed to prevent acid gas, dioxin, and metals from being discharged from the incinerators. 

Environmentalists and ecologists, however, oppose constmction of any new incinerators and landfill facilities. They would like to close all existing incineration and landfill facilities, if possible. They are wrong. Unless human civilization is to go backward, there will always be hazardous and infectious wastes produced by industry. These wastes must go somewhere. A solution must be found. 

Hazardous and Infectious Wastes from Medical Offices... 

With the growing use of thro waway products in the hospital and medical field, there is an increasing danger stemming from infectious wastes. The ultimate disposal of millions of needles and condoms becomes a part of municipal wastes. The virulence of microorganisms under such conditions is poorly understood, Throwaway diapers not only contribute immensely... 

EPA (1986a). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Guide for Infectious Waste Management, EPA/530-SW-86-014 (National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia). 

Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators... 

Standards of Performance for Large Municipal Waste Combustors for Which Construction is Commenced after September 20, 1994 or for which Modification of Reconstruction is Commenced after June 19, 1996 Standards of Performance for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators for which Construction Is Commenced after June 20, 1996 Standards of Performance for Portland Cement Plants Standards of Performance for Nitric Acid Plants Standards of Performance for Sulfuric Acid Plants Standards of Performance for Hot Mix Asphalt Facilities Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries... 

After using toxins, wash every working surface with bleach, which is an efficient decontaminant. During the experiments, disposable materials should be used that can be eliminated as a biological hazard. As proteins, these toxins are heat labile and are completely inactivated by heating at 80°C for 10 min, i.e., conditions met by most standard decontamination treatments (heat autoclave) of medical infectious waste. 

Potentially infectious waste, such as material from tissue cultures, should be autoclaved and prepared for disposal by incineration. 

Describe the difference between a medical waste and an infectious waste. 

A medical waste is any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immimization of human beings or animals. A medical waste can be infectious or noninfectious. Infectious waste is a medical waste that eontains pathogenic microorganisms that can cause disease. 

What factors should be taken into consideration when designing an infectious waste management plan for an individual facility ... 

Infectious waste management plans are designed around the individual needs of a facility. Three main factors, which must be considered in the custom designing of an infectious waste management plan, are ... 

Other factors that are important include the nature of the infectious waste, waste quantity, the availability of both onsite and olTsite equipment for treatment of the waste, regulatory constraints, and operating costs. 

Hospital A and the nursing home have a high percentage of plastics, and hospital B and the animal research facility have high percentages of pathological (infectious) waste. 

Biomedical wastes are not only generated by hospitals. Animal research facilities, research centers, universities, rest homes, and veterinary clinics also generate pathological (infectious) waste. Pathological waste includes animal carcasses, contaminated laboratory wastes, hypodermic needles, contaminated food and equipment, blood products, and even dialysis unit wastes. Normally, biomedical wastes are incinerated along with other wastes generated by the facilities such as paper and plastic. 

Note that the pathological waste in the waste stream in this problem is the most difficult waste to destroy since its heating value is low. Hospital waste incinerators must be designed to destroy pathological and infectious waste, not paper waste alone. The contents of a hospital waste stream are normally more complex than shown in this problem. Other hazardous components may include pentane, diethyl ether, acetone, methyl cellosolve, and other laboratory wastes. 

Includes only infectious hospital waste and does not include infectious waste generated by doctors offices, nursing homes, etc. 

Infectious waste syn. biomedical waste, clinical waste, or medical waste. 

Infectious waste is generated from hospitals, clinics, dentists, laboratories, veterinarians, and other research and healthcare facilities. It includes wastes associated with known infections or that are derived from the treatment or diagnosis of unknown or undiagnosed infections. Sources include... 

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