Biohazardous waste. Presented by,

URMILA N PAI

SCET

8TH SEM

• According to Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 of India “Any waste which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biological”.

• Biomedical waste management has recently emerged as an issue of major concern not only to hospitals, nursing home authorities but also to the environment.

• The bio-medical wastes generated from health care units depend upon a number of factors such as waste management methods, type of health care units, occupancy of healthcare units, specialization of healthcare units, ratio of reusable items in use, availability of infrastructure and resources etc.

SOURCES OF BIOMEDICAL WASTEMajor Sources: Hospitals, health centers, Medical colleges and research centers, paramedic services.

Minor Sources: Physicians, dentists’ clinics, Animal houses, Blood donation camps, Vaccination centers.

PROBLEMS RELATING TO BIOMEDICAL WASTE

Disposing of waste in a haphazard, improper and indiscriminate manner.

Lack of segregation practices. Inappropriate segregation. Inadequate management.

Points

• Disposal• Shipping Transportation• Treatment

• Biohazardous waste includes any waste item that is contaminated with a biological material that is an infectious disease transmission risk or an environmental release risk .

• Biohazardous waste, also called infectious waste or biomedical waste, is any waste containing infectious materials or potentially infectious substances such as blood.

• Of special concern are sharp wastes such as needles, blades, glass pipettes, and other wastes that can cause injury during handling.

Types of Biohazardous Waste

• 1.Human blood and blood products• 2.Human Body Fluids• 3.Microbiological Wastes• 4.Pathological waste• 5.Animal waste• 6.Sharps waste

1.Human blood and blood products:

•  All human blood, blood products (such as serum, plasma, and other blood components) in liquid or semi-liquid form.

• Items contaminated with blood that, if compressed, would release blood in a liquid or semi-liquid form, or items caked with dried blood capable of being released during handling.

• Other body fluids or tissues containing visible blood.

• 2.Human Body Fluids: • Human body fluids in a liquid or semi-liquid state, including: semen, cerebral spinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva from dental procedures.

• includes any other human body fluids visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or

impossible to differentiate between body fluids.

3.Microbiological Wastes: • Laboratory wastes containing or contaminated with

concentrated forms of infectious agents. • Such waste includes discarded specimen cultures, stocks of etiologic agents, discarded live and attenuated viruses, blood or body fluids known to contain infectious pathogens, wastes from the production of biologicals and serums, disposable culture dishes, and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures.

4.Pathological waste: • All human tissues, organs, and body parts, including waste

biopsy materials, tissues, and anatomical parts from surgery, procedures, or autopsy. Any unfixed human tissue, except skin.

5.Animal waste: • All animal carcasses, body parts, and any bedding material

from animals known to be infected with, or that have been inoculated with human pathogenic microorganisms infectious to humans.

6.Sharps waste: 

• Sharps waste is a form of biomedical waste composed of used sharps, which includes any device or object used to puncture or lacerate the skin. Sharps waste is classified as biohazardous waste and must be carefully handled. Common medical materials treated as sharps waste are:

• Syringes and injection devices• Blades• Contaminated glass and some plastics.

BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

PROCESS• Waste collection• Segregation• Transportation and storage• Treatment & Disposal• Transport to final disposal site• Final disposal

BIOMEDICAL WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL

1.Incineration Technology

2.Non-Incineration Technology

3. Autoclaving

4. Chemical Methods

5. Microwave Irradiation

6. Plasma Pyrolysis

Treatment and disposal

• The purpose of solid biohazardous waste treatment is biological inactivation in a manner that reduces hazardous exposure risk for lab personnel and the environment.

• This is generally achieved by autoclave treatment of waste or treatment and disposal through a medical waste disposal contractor (i.e., licensed medical waste hauler) who will autoclave or incinerate the waste.

• Under the regulations, wastes are to be “rendered non-infectious by sterilization techniques prior to disposal”.

• This means that all items contaminated with a potentially infectious material must be autoclaved or managed through a medical waste disposal contractor for disposal .

Transporting Biohazardous Waste

• Biohazardous waste must be packaged so that personal protective equipment (PPE) is not needed during transport.

• Transporting Within a Building

• Sharps containers with contaminated sharps to be transported within the same building must be securely closed and the outer surface decontaminated prior to transport.

• Attach a piece of autoclave tape over the lid and sides being careful not to cover air vents. This will help secure the lid if the plastic expands and contracts during steam sterilization.

• Label the container with name of Principal Investigator (PI) and room number.

• If leaking is possible, place inside a secondary container which is closable, puncture resistant, constructed to contain all contents and prevent leakage, and is either red in color or is labeled with the biohazard symbol

        

Bagged Biohazardous waste transported within the same building must be closed, surface decontaminated, and placed inside secondary containment prior to transport.

Transporting Between Buildings

Sharps Containers with contaminated sharps to be transported between buildings is the same as within the same building . The exception is if transport is by motor vehicle.

• On-Site Steam Sterilized Waste Disposal• Bagged Waste• Autoclave tape should be used on biohazard bags to show that

the waste has been treated. Bagged waste can be placed in the regular waste container for the laboratory.

• Laboratory Glass and Plastic Waste

Bagged waste that contains glassware or hard plastic pipettes

should be packaged in a cardboard box and labeled with

"LABORATORY GLASSWARE" tape. Bagged

waste and boxes of laboratory glassware can be

placed in the regular waste container

for the laboratory.

Shipping Off-Site for Treatment and Disposal

•  Preparing biohazardous waste for collection and shipment by a biohazardous waste contractor must be done in accordance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements.

• All faculty and staff who will perform the final packaging steps and offer shipments to the contractor must complete the EH&S training before setting up an account with the waste contractor.