What You Need to Know About Radioactive Hospital Waste
7/7/2023
What comes up in your mind when you hear of "radioactive medical waste"? You may picture someone in a hazmat suit handling a container labeled with a black trefoil symbol and yellow background.
However, radioactive waste materials do not always come from an experimental laboratory. In fact, many of the procedures you see happening in the hospital near your place use radiation processes and they produce radioactive medical waste.
To give you a better understanding of the topic, we'll go over everything you need to know about radioactive hospital waste, from what it is to how medical facilities get rid of it.
The Basics of Radioactive Hospital Waste
Most of the radioactive medical waste comes from therapy and treatments that use radiation and nuclear. What many of us might not know is that it is divided into several categories depending on the severity of the radiation they emit. Understanding the different disposal techniques is key to keeping everyone safe from radiation risks.
Radioactive Hospital Waste Proper Disposal
Radioactive hospital waste, along with other objects that come into contact with them, must never be thrown away in a regular garbage can. Specialized vessels are required to store and transport them and only authorized personnel should be allowed to handle them.
After proper storing and treatment methods, radioactive medical waste can be disposed of in one of these places: an incinerator, a deep pit, or a deep borehole. Authorities must ensure that these materials have been disposed of properly to protect both the environment and the public in general.
The Takeaway