Biohazardous waste is a subset of medical waste requiring additional precautions from hospitals and other healthcare centers. As the name implies, biohazard waste may include hazardous bacteria or other biological agents if released into the environment. Microorganisms that can cause illness or loss of life in humans fall under this category, and they may take the form of bacteria, parasites, molds, viruses, and so on.
Most Common Forms of Biohazard Waste
Waste needs to be segregated, categorized, sanitized, and disposed of in a way that is appropriate for that form to reduce the possibility of occupational exposure and the risks associated with ecological discharge. Biohazardous waste can be classified into five classifications according to its chemical makeup, as follows:
Autoclaving Deadly Waste
Some forms of biohazardous waste can be sterilized by autoclaving. Among the examples of deadly waste that may be autoclaved are:
- Laboratory waste: This consists of contaminated glassware, plastic pipettes, culture dishes, and other non-reusable items that have come in contact with contagious agents.
- Medical waste: Some medical waste, such as contaminated medical instruments and clothing, can be autoclaved to ensure safe disposal.
- Animal waste: Animal carcasses, bed linens, and other waste items from animal research facilities can be autoclaved to get rid of any potentially harmful bacteria.
Autoclaving is a reliable method for sterilizing a wide range of hazardous waste, including laboratory, medical, and animal carcass waste. Since they have been sterilized in an autoclave, it is safe to dispose of them.
Pathological Biohazardous Waste
Extracted organs, tissues, and other body parts from infected humans or animals are pathological waste. Pathological waste, like liquid waste, must be double-bagged and kept in secondary containers to avoid leaks. Standard disposal methods include burning or chemical handling; autoclaving is not used. If you need help clearing up a biohazard, there are numerous firms you can call, like PuroClean of Springfield.
Liquid Biohazardous Waste
Blood and other bodily fluids that may have infectious pathogens make up the bulk of the liquid biohazardous waste. Liquid biohazard waste needs to be contained in containers that are both impermeable and stable in case of a spill or other mishap. On the other hand, a secondary container, like a tray or a bucket, can secure the main liquid containers.
Chemical treatment with bleach or autoclaving on the liquid cycle effectively removes most types of liquid waste. If the fluids include both biological and chemical waste, it is highly recommended that you seek guidance on correct disposal from a medical or biohazard waste collection service.
Solid Biohazardous Waste
Items that have come into touch with human or animal sampling materials, such as tissues or body fluids but are not sharp, are considered solid biohazardous waste. Petri dishes, pipettes, towels, linens, and any other dish or container are examples. Consequently, a container with a cover, an autoclave bag, and a biohazard tag should be used to collect this waste.
Autoclaving solid biohazard waste on-site can make it safe for disposal in a traditional medical waste landfill. However, several biohazard remediation services will be required if they have yet to be decontaminated prior to being safely thrown away.
Sharp Biohazardous Waste
Anything used in the health care field to puncture the skin and come into contact with possibly contagious biological material is considered sharp biohazardous waste. Needles, scalpels, microscope slides, saw blades, shards of glass from damaged vials, and more all fall under the “sharps.”
Sharps waste is collected in marked containers. Regardless of biohazard condition, all sharps must be removed in such containers, albeit biohazardous sharps will be marked as such. Moreover, a medical waste service will collect used needles and other potentially harmful sharps.
While not sharp enough to puncture flesh, plastic serological pipettes can go through plastic bags. For that reason, they should be managed as sharps or isolated from the rest of the solid biohazardous waste.
In a Nutshell
In order to avoid being contaminated with biohazards, it is vital to practice good personal hygiene and always keep your work area clean, especially in healthcare facilities. Indeed, hiring a professional biohazard cleaning company with the training, equipment, and expertise to clean, sterilize, and get rid of infected objects and surfaces is your best and perhaps most cost-effective option.
