Types of Medical Waste Handled
There are several different forms of medical waste.. The one thing those forms have in common is they are all hazardous and need to be disposed of properly in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment. Some facilities have different medical waste containers to separate the different forms of waste. These containers have to be handled with the utmost care, since mishandling them could lead to infectious diseases being spread into the air. But what are the most common forms of medical waste? Here are the different categories and how they differ.
Microbiological Waste
Microbiological waste is generally created by laboratories, since it consists of stocks and cultures of infectious agents. In addition to stocks and cultures, specimens, vaccines and other similar items also fall into the category of microbiological waste. All medical waste removal companies have to handle microbiological waste with care, since the waste could become infectious if exposed to the environment.
Pathological Waste
Pathological waste is probably the easiest to identify since it comes in many different forms. The most common forms of pathological waste include organs, tissues and different body parts from any living organism. This type of waste can come from body parts or fluids removed during surgical procedures, autopsies and other medical treatments. Most medical waste containers that house pathological waste will go straight to the incinerators after being removed from the medical facility.
Isolation Waste
Isolation waste is categorized as excretion, blood, secretion or exudates, which are isolated from other people for their protection. This type of waste comes from people who have highly communicable diseases, so they can be extremely dangerous if not disposed of properly. Medical waste containers usually have to be removed very quickly after isolation waste is placed in them so there is a reduced risk of any diseases spreading.
Sharps
Sharps refer to needles, scalpels or other object designed to penetrate the skin. These are dangerous when disposed of for obvious reasons, with the most obvious reason being their ability to pierce the skin and put infectious agents into the bloodstream. When it comes to medical waste pick up, there are more stringent regulations for containers having sharps in them. They generally are disposed of separately and the medical waste containers must be strong enough where they can’t be punctured.
At Medsharps, we know all about the risks and dangers of the different forms of medical waste. We’ve been providing the highest quality medical waste containers to facilities since 2008, so be sure to contact us for a free quote or more information about how our services can help your facility.
