Biomedical waste and its disposal
• Waste generated from healthcare activities is
called as biomedical waste.
Medical waste is generated at many locations. These
include:
• Hospitals
• Emergency care facilities
• Outpatient facilities, dialysis centers, transfusion
centers, blood banks
• Clinical laboratories
• Research laboratories
• Mortuaries
• Veterinarians
• Nursing homes
Methods of disposal of Biomedical
waste
1. Incineration:
• This is the process of burning of waste in
temperatures ranging from 1,800°F to 2,000°F
(982°C to 1093°C).
• On-site incineration provides the advantage of a
quick, easy disposal method, but there are
emissions concerns.
• Incineration ash can be easily disposed.
2. Autoclaving
• Autoclaving, which is also known simply as steam sterilization, is the
most commonly utilized alternative to incineration.
• It is both less costly and carries no documented health impacts. In this
method, wastes are sterilized or disinfected prior to disposal in a
landfill.
• Bags of waste are placed in a chamber and steam is introduced for a
determined period of time at a specified pressure and temperature.
• This assures the destruction of microorganisms.
• Approximately 90% of regulated medical wastes are suitable for
autoclaving, particularly microbiological wastes.
• Autoclaves are not suitable, however, for pathological, cytotoxic,
or other toxic chemical wastes.
3. Gas sterilization:
• In this process, medical waste is fed into an
evacuated air-tight chamber and treated with a
sterilizing agent (such as ethylene oxide or
formaldehyde).
• The gas that comes into contact with the waste
will kill harmful, infectious agents.
4. Chemical disinfection
• This process involves the use of chemical agents for
disinfection, such as chlorine.
• Chemical disinfection processes are most appropriate for
liquid wastes, although they can still be used to treat solid
wastes.
• Another option is the grinding of medical waste before
exposing it to a liquid chemical disinfectant.
• Grinding ensures sufficient exposure of the chemical agent to
all parts of the waste and assists in easy disposal of any
residues.
• The resulting liquids are placed into the sewer system, while
solid residues are disposed in landfills.
5. Microwave:
• The application of microwave technology treatment also
can disinfect waste.
• Waste is first shredded, and then mixed with water and
internally heated to neutralize all present biologicals.
• Computerized controls are employed for disinfection
and proper equipment function.
• As with autoclaving, approximately 90% of medical
wastes can be treated with this process.
• The shredding process results in a volume reduction,
and energy use is reportedly lower than that of an
incinerator.
6. Irradiation:
• This method involves sterilizing waste by exposing it to
a cobalt source.
• Cobalt gives out gamma radiations that destroy all
microbes in waste.
• The high cost of cobalt and high operating costs,
however, have discouraged commercial ventures from
using the technology for the treatment and management
of medical waste.
7. Thermal inactivation
• This process involves heating waste to
temperatures at which infectious agents are
killed.
• It is used for treating large volumes of liquid
clinical wastes.
• A chamber is preheated to an intense, specified
temperature and held for a specified time, then
released.
• A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump,
rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping
ground, is a site for the disposal of waste
materials.
• India has Asia’s biggest landfill at Deonar,
Mumbai.
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