Medical Waste Containers

Medical waste is a special category of waste, because it poses such a stark risk both to human lives and the environment at large. Such waste can't be simply discarded at a landfill or recycled. Many varieties of medical waste require rigorous treatment before they are made harmless enough for disposal or handling.

There are two types of medical waste that are the most hazardous. The first type is infectious or biohazardous waste which contains biological byproducts that may lead to the spread of infectious disease. This type of waste includes blood, surgically removed tumors and other body parts, as well as bandages and other disposable hygienic products that have come in contact with inefctious patients. This category also includes "sharps" - scalpels, syringes and other medical equipment used in procedures on patients. Infectious waste is usually dealt with by burning or autoclaving, in order to kill all the harmful viruses and bacteria.

Another type of dangerous waste is chemical waste. There are many hazardous chemicals used in medicine, thermometer mercury being one of the best-known. There are also many radioactive materials that find use in medical technology, such as diagnostic isotopes and X-ray emitters, and these need to be dealt with carefully and according to regulations. Finally, there are many exotic pharmaceuticals that may pollute waterways if disposed of improperly. Chemical waste is subject to the same regulations and restrictions as hazardous industrial waste.

Some medical waste can be reused or recycled - objects like disposable gloves can be reprocessed into new products, saving money, energy and landfill space. There is a burgeoning medical device recycling industry, which attempts to find ways to repurpose old equipment in safe and environmentally-conscious ways. The industry is currently worth $4 billion, and it's projected to grow at an impressive 12 percent in 2012.

Disposing of, and recycling medical waste is a tricky business, requiring contractors who really know what they're doing. With Local Roll Off, you'll be able to rent medical waste containers and biohazardous waste dumpsters reliably and at a low price.

 

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