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How to Regulate Medical Waste from Hospitals

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Hospitals have several options to consider when disposing of their medical waste. Hospitals can consider either on-site or off-site options. When waste is transported to an off-site location, it has to be pre-treated to eliminate or reduce infectious potential.


Pre-treatment options


Hospitals can either choose autoclaving or incineration pre-treatment methods. Both of them have their pros and cons. Therefore, hospitals have to decide which will best satisfy their medical waste needs.


1.      Autoclaving/Steam sterilization

Autoclaving uses steam to sterilize medical waste and kill the microorganisms. It is done in autoclaves, which comprises closed chambers fed with steam or pressure. It is commonly used to sterilize medical wastes such as sharp objects.


2.      Incineration

In incineration, medical waste is burned in a controlled environment. Some hospitals have set up on-site incineration facilities. Incineration in hospitals reduces the amount of medical waste transported from the hospital to a disposal site or a landfill, thus saving on disposal costs.

Additionally, the incineration process reduces or eliminates the potentially harmful materials in most medical wastes produced in hospitals. Therefore, the remaining waste is less harmful and can be securely disposed of at a disposal site.


Other options


Apart from incineration and autoclaving, hospitals can consider other options, such as irradiation, chemical, and thermal treatment.