Determining how to handle or dispose of the medical waste generated at home, is a challenging task. Above all, it is an important task as incorrect disposing of medical waste can cause severe damage to the environment and the bio-life.
Just like there is a proper way to dispose of every kind of trash, disposing of medical waste should also be done appropriately. Identifying the items of medical waste, following the government regulations regarding the proper disposal of medical waste at home, and accepting the procedure for disposal of contaminated sharps and other types of medical waste are necessary steps in the medical waste disposal process.
All types of medical wastes are always potentially active to carry transmittable infectious pathogens or viruses like HIV, Hepatitis B or C virus, etc. Medical wastes generated at home include;
When there is medical waste generated at home, it becomes one’s responsibility to handle it with utmost care and precautions. Identify the difference between medical waste and trash, and know how to rightly dispose of them. Medical waste should be properly segregated, handled, labeled, stored, and finally disposed of.
The most common type of medical wastes generated at home is sharps and medicines. These wastes are to be handled and disposed of appropriately.
Sharps are any object that can pierce the skin like needles, broken glass, syringes, etc., and infect you with any kind of pathogens. The used sharps are infected with biotic substances that can transmit diseases into the environment.
Hence, sharps are needed to dispose of in special containers that are leak-proof and puncture-resistant. Approved containers must be made of hard cardboard or plastic and placed near the area where the sharps are used. They need to be replaced timely to avoid overfilling of the container.
Once the container is full, they are to be disposed of at designated collection sites or collected by specified pick-up services or through mail-back programs.
Medicines are usually considered ‘hazardous waste’ as they contain toxic chemicals that can be dangerous for the community. They must not be dumped at places where they can be a risk to other lives like in the household trash, in the toilet, or the sink, etc.
Local and state laws have set the parameters and procedures for proper disposal of all types of medication. One must understand them and follow them for accurate disposal of medication waste.
Once the medical waste is properly segregated and stored in different containers, it becomes necessary to label those containers correctly with universally acknowledged biohazard symbols. These labels and symbols help identify biohazard waste from other kinds of trashes in order to dispose of them separately and properly.
Apart from hospitals and clinics, medical waste is generated at home as well. It should be disposed of properly to keep your family safe from getting infected with the pathogens it carries. Hence, appropriate knowledge of types of medical waste and its disposal is a must if you are generating medical waste at home.
Additionally, you should also be aware of and follow the state and federal law policies and procedures for correct disposing of medical waste.