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1、Rochester Committeefor Scientific InformationCPU 276766River Campus StationRochester, NY 14627_Bulletin #324 October 1999_Medical Waste DisposalByJoanne MitchellIntroductionThe health care industry in the United States generates a huge amount of solid waste. Hospitals alone produce approximately two
2、 million tons of waste a year, a figure that has doubled on a per patient basis since 1955.Only about 10-15% of hospital waste is infectious waste; the rest is made up of paper, plastics, food, metal, glass, wood, and other materials. Only about 2% of total hospital waste (the pathological wastebody
3、 parts and body fluids needs to be incinerated to protect public health, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Yet some hospitals routinely incinerate 75-100% of their waste, a needlessly expensive way to dispose of waste.Toxic Pollution from IncinerationDisposing of medical waste by inciner
4、ation creates additional problems, because incineration releases toxic materials into the surrounding community. Two materials are particularly worrisome:DioxinDioxin is actually a family of compounds that are produced when chlorine-containing materials are incinerated. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plas
5、tics are a major source of dioxin when they are incinerated. PVC-containing medical products include IV bags, vinyl gloves, and plasma collection bags. Dioxin released by incineration can travel long distances in the air, settle on plants, be eaten by animals, and become concentrated in meat, dairy
6、products, and fish. Even extremely tiny amounts of dioxin have been shown to cause cancer, affect immune systems, cause birth defects, decrease fertility, and affect a variety of hormonal processes. Dioxin does not decompose with time. Instead, it accumulates in the fatty tissue of the human body. I
7、t is also found in breast milk, where it can affect the development of infants at a critical time in their growth.MercuryMercury is another toxin present in medical waste. It is used in thermometers, blood pressure gauges, and various medical solutions. Hospital waste is estimated to be responsible
8、for one-fifth of the mercury in the solid waste stream in this country. When waste containing mercury is incinerated, mercury is released into the atmosphere and contaminates the surrounding community. Besides incineration, mercury can also be released into the environment in wastewater. Mercury can
9、 cycle between organic and inorganic forms. As methyl mercury (an organic form), it is absorbed by animals, including fish, and enters the food chain. All forms of mercury are toxic to humans, but the various forms of organic and inorganic mercury have different toxicities. Organic mercury is genera
10、lly much more toxic. The organic forms of mercury are primarily neurotoxins, which damage the brain and nervous system. Young children and fetuses are at special risk for damage to the developing nervous system from organic mercury. Inorganic forms of mercury primarily affect the kidneys, but are al
11、so neurotoxins. Other organs can also be harmed by mercury exposure.In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the first federal standards and guidelines regulating hospital and medical waste incinerators. These regulations suggest that installing scrubbers and emission control moni
12、toring equipment will reduce toxic emissions. However, it is much more expensive to clean up emissions after burning than it is to prevent the pollution in the first place.Prevention of PollutionIn 1996 representatives of 28 organizations met to address the problem of reducing pollution from the hea
13、lth care industry without compromising safety or quality of care. They formed the coalition Health Care Without Harm, which currently has 75 member organizations.Health Care Without Harm recommends that a hospital or other medical facility start with an audit of its solid waste. After that, the reco
14、mmendations given below suggest ways to reduce pollution. These need not be expensive to implement; in fact, many organizations have realized significant cost savings from these programs. For example, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City has reduced its waste disposal costs by 60%, saving ove
15、r $600,000 per year on medical waste disposal costs and over $900,000 per year on all trash as a result of this program.1. Reduce Waste, and Segregate, Recycle, ReuseThese efforts start by purchasing supplies that come with minimum packaging, and by purchasing supplies that are durable rather than d
16、isposable. Phasing out single-use, disposable products like gowns, bedpans, eggcrate mattresses, etc. in favor of safe, reusable items will cut the waste stream considerably. Waste segregation is another important steppaper, cardboard, glass, some plastics, and metals can be separated and recycled in existing markets. Many non-medical businesses routin
