Welcome
INTRODUCTION
Management of Regulated Medical Waste
XYZ Hospital
•Compliance with hospital policies and procedures
•Cost of medical waste disposal versus solid waste
disposal
•Cradle to grave liability of medical waste
WASTE SEGREGATION GUIDELINES
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v
v
v
Regulated Medical Waste
Chemotherapy (RMW)
Solid Waste (Trash)
Hazardous Waste
REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE
Red Biohazard Bag
Blood/blood products & OPIM - Examples:
v Saturated or grossly soiled disposables, i.e., bloody gauze, dressings, lap pads, OB and surgical peri-pads & gloves
v Containers, catheters, or tubes with fluid blood or blood products not discarded or flushed i.e., blood sets, suction
canisters & drainage sets (Need adequate absorbent material in container)
v Dialyzers & tubing
v Empty IV bags with patient identifying information on them: Name, SS#, MR#
v Microbiology specimens, used culture plates, tubes, bottles, & devices
v Placentas & surgical specimens
v Blood spill clean-up materials
Sharps Containers
v Needles & syringes, syringes without needles
v Scalpel blades & lancets
v Glass pipettes, slides, and tubes
v Broken contaminated glass
v Staples & wires (Cardo-catheter wires)
v Disposable suture sets & biopsy forceps
v Electrocautery tips
Definition of Regulated Medical Waste
• OSHA’s definition of Regulated Medical Waste is: A liquid or semi-liquid or
other potentially infectious materials (defined below); contaminated items that
would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or
semi-liquid state if compressed; items that are caked with dried blood or other
potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing these materials
during handling; contaminated sharps; and pathological and microbiological
waste containing blood or other potentially infectious materials.
•
Other potentially Infectious Materials means (1) The following human
body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid,
pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental
procedures, and body fluids that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all
body fluids in situation where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate
between body fluids; (2) Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin)
from a human (living or dead); and (3) HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures,
organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other
solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals
infected with HIV or HBV.
CHEMOTHERAPY WASTE (RMW)
Chemotherapy Sharps Container or Bag(Yellow sharps containers)
Trace-contaminated items generated in the preparation & administration of antineoplastic/cytotoxic
drugs - Examples:
v Gowns
v Gloves
v Masks
v Barriers
v IV tubing
v Empty bags/bottles
v Empty drug vials
v Spill clean-up materials or kits
v HEPA filters from Pharmacy laminar air flow hood
v Needles & syringes
XYZ Hospital
• Environmental Ser. Should provide you with the appropriate
biohazard shipping /collected container with liner.
• Medical waste shipper containers containing containers with
liquids must have absorbent material
Example of absorbent material: Solidifier such as Permisorb
• Placement of medical waste containers
Away from frequent traffic areas to minimize disposal of regular
trash
SOLID WASTE (TRASH)
Clear Bag/Regular Trash
Examples:
v Paper & plastic wrappers, packaging, boxes, computer paper, office waste
v Unused medical products & supplies
v PPE (worn, but not soiled)
v Food products & waste (soda cans, paper cups, plastic utensils)
v Empty IV tubing without needles
v Empty urine cups, stool containers, Foley bags/tubing, diapers, chux
v Exam & cleaning gloves
v Empty collection bottles & bags
v Sanitary napkins & tampons (personal)
v Disposable paper drapes, lab coats, paper towels, band aids
v Disposable basins, bedpans, urinals
v Non-mercury batteries
v Empty aerosol pressure cans
IMPROPERLY
PACKAGED
MEDICAL WASTE
REGULAR GARBAGE
DOES NOT BELONG IN
BIO HAZARD CONTAINER
HAZARDOUS WASTE
Hazardous Waste Container
Examples:
v
Outdated/unused chemotherapy drugs (bulk)
v
Certain pharmaceuticals
v
Mercury-filled devices, batteries, thermometers, & blood pressure cuffs & gauges
v
Used solvents, stains, paints, & thinner
v
Chemicals such as formaldehyde & formalin, acetone, toluene, mercury fixatives, barium,
xylene, alcohol, disinfectants & chemical sterilizing agents
v
Drums or other containers with "hazardous" label
v
Radioactive material
HOW TO PACKAGE MEDICAL WASTE FOR DISPOSAL
v All medical waste collected for disposal must be placed in a container that is lined. The plastic bag
used for lining must be of sufficient strength to prevent ripping or tearing. The bag must be
marked according to federal, state and local regulations (i.e., red in color and/or biohazard symbol).
v Sharp materials (“sharps”) must be placed in an approved container especially designed for
“sharps” waste. “Sharps” include needles, syringes, broken glass, scalpels, test tubes, pipettes,
petri dishes and anything that can potentially pierce a plastic bag. As with other medical waste,
“sharps” containers may be placed within the lined container.
v Each bag must be properly sealed or tied.
v Each container must be securely closed.
v When a Stericycle shipper container is full, the liner should be tied off appropriately, the lid
secured properly on the container, the container appropriately labeled and transported intact to the
storage area awaiting transport.
v A container that is leaking, improperly packaged, improperly labeled or containing loose “sharps”
will not be picked up. Loose “sharps” pose a potential needlestick injury to your employees as
well as Stericycle employees.
Proper way to tie liner in shipping container.
Questions
Questions?
Thank You!