If you work in any type of care or medical facility, there is some waste that cannot be placed in the trash. It must be contained and transported by one of the medical waste disposal services Asheville NC instead. To help you get an idea of what one of these services will remove, here are four basic types of medical waste that may or may not be generated at your facility. Rest assured that a professional service knows how to deal with each one.
General Medical Waste
This category includes most of the more common types of waste that can be generated by a doctor’s office, a dental clinic, or similar facilities. These are usually disposable supplies that are commonly used in healthcare settings.
Some examples of general medical waste include disposable gowns, tongue depressors, disposable needles, and the gloves that are often used during examinations. Some services will also collect general office waste, which makes it all the easier to keep the facility neat and tidy.
Infectious Waste
Infectious waste has to do with anything that may have been exposed to body fluids and carries some risk of spreading infections to others. The goal is to contain the waste so that others do not come into direct contact with it. Doing so helps to minimize the risk of developing an infection, something that both the staff and the patients can appreciate.
Examples of this type of waste can include gauze and other bandaging that contains traces of blood. The same is true for paper products that come in contact with blood, feces, or any kind of body fluids. Disposable products used during surgery also fall into this category.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste may seem to be along the same lines as infectious waste, but there is a difference. Hazardous waste may or may not include contamination by bodily fluids. It can also be anything that has been used as part of a treatment or procedure and is not intended to be sterilized and used a second time.
This type of waste can include items like the sharps that are readily used in hospitals, surgical centers, and many doctor’s offices. The same is true for disposable surgical instruments, even those that may have been wiped down after use. Chemical waste may also be part of this category. In all cases, teams from the medical waste disposal services Asheville NC ensure the items are cased in sealed containers as part of the transport process.
Radioactive Waste
This category has to do with anything that is affected by exposure to radioactive materials. Consider the products that may be used as part of the treatment process for various types of cancer. The same is true for materials that may be used in a research laboratory and similar settings. If the facility is involved in any work that has to do with nuclear medical treatments, there’s a good chance that at least come radioactive waste is generated.
As with hazardous waste, radioactive waste must be properly contained prior to transport away from the facility. The methods used to break down this kind of waste often differ from strategies used for the others. At all times, safety determines how this waste is neutralized and disposed of.
Remember that the removal of medical waste must be done carefully. Talk with an expert about how the process is managed based on the different types of waste found at your clinic or other facilities. It won’t take long to understand what safeguards are necessary, how the waste is ultimately disposed of, and why having experts take care of the task makes sense.