Importance of Biomedical Waste Disposal in Orlando and Pinellas County, FL

 Anything of biological origin is necessary for life. Related waste needs to be stored and disposed of properly to ensure the safety of all concerned. Health care facilities generate vast amounts of waste every day. Disposing of them is not easy either. The process needs to be compliant with regulatory standards, making the use of professionals for biomedical waste disposal in Orlando and Pinellas County, FL, imperative.

It is essential to understand the significance of hiring a specific team to handle such waste that cannot be thrown into the general trash can. It is necessary to store, transport, and dispose of such waste materials according to the standards recommended by regulatory authorities and safety organizations. The best service providers responsible for biomedical waste disposal are hired by the following facilities/organizations to ensure safety within their premises and comply with the legal standards:

l Health clinics

l Nursing homes

l Emergency medical services

l Medical research laboratories

l Offices of physicians and dentists

l Veterinary clinics and hospitals

l Home health care providers

l Morgues and funeral homes

l Blood banks

l Biotechnology institutions/production units

l Animal houses

l Research laboratories

l Diagnostic Centers

It is essential to inquire about the efficacy of such service providers before hiring them. It is vital to ensure 100% compliance with the standards regulated by the following organizations/agencies:

l The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

l The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

l The Florida Health Department

Professional service providers usually work in teams, each responsible for completing their assigned tasks as soon as possible. The primary aspects of such specialized waste handling include the following:

Segregation—The trained service providers are informed about the diverse categories of medical waste materials and will ensure perfect segregation of the accumulated waste. This includes separating sharps, anatomical waste, and soiled or used materials.

Color Coding- Most service providers source and use color-coded containers to store the segregated waste materials according to their potential risks. The professionals make sure to store the correct type of waste in yellow, red, or black containers as needed.

The other responsibilities undertaken by the skilled service providers also include: -

Recycling of some of the biomedical waste, such as plastics and other wrapping materials, after proper treatment

Effective storage of the segregated waste materials takes precedence as well. The segregated waste is not only stored in specific color-coded containers, but the regulations also require the containers to be appropriately labeled and kept in secluded areas away from the high-traffic areas of the facility.

The service provider transports the segregated storage containers in covered vehicles. Care is also taken to prevent spills and injuries to personnel and the public when in transit.

Biomedical waste is considered to be a biohazard that can infect exposed persons. Such waste materials are thus treated in the following manner before being disposed of finally:

l Incineration

l Autoclaving

l Chemical Disinfection

l Deep Burial

The risk of infection increases when a sharp implement such as a needle, syringe, or diagnostic tool punctures the skin. Thus, it is important to take adequate care of sharps container disposal in Pasco County and Saint Augustine, FL, to ensure the safety of everyone accessing the facility.