Medical Waste Articles

When we talk about the “flow” of regulated medical waste (RMW), we’re referring to all the steps involved in the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of RMW. Management of the flow process is a serious and complex undertaking, more so in times of crisis such as a pandemic or other catastrophic event.

Regulated medical waste (RMW) can be up to 100 times more costly to manage than municipal solid waste or recyclables. Proper disposal of RMW is also a much more complex process—and not only because it’s highly regulated by multiple local, state, and federal agencies, including the EPA, DOT, and OSHA. The CDC and DEA also publish guidelines and rules for RMW handling. 

Improperly managing regulated medical waste (RMW) can lead to environmental damage and threaten human health. It can also result in significant financial penalties.

Table of Contents

1. What qualifies as regulated medical waste?
2. The flow of regulated medical waste
3. Sudden, extreme changes in demand flow
4. Importance of proper procedures
5. Proper segregation of waste
6. Don’t ignore risks
7. Who’s responsible?

In normal circumstances, U.S. hospitals produce more than five million tons of medical waste each year, or about 29 pounds from each staffed bed every day. Add in waste from other medical facilities, dental offices, pharmacies, veterinary clinics, funeral homes, and other medical waste generators, and that number is significantly higher. Regulated medical waste (RMW) makes up about five to 15 percent of a hospital’s total waste stream.

There are plenty of waste items under Alabama’s medical waste umbrella that are obviously infectious waste:

Here at TriHaz Solutions we’ve been closely monitoring the effect COVID-19 is having on our customers and the waste industry in general. We’re following guidance from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and continually updating our recommendations as more is learned about the virus. Alabama’s public health website is also a great source for state-specific information on how the COVID-19 pandemic is being handled, as is OSHA’s page devoted to the virus.

To say that COVID-19 (the latest official name for the coronavirus) is wreaking havoc all over the world is a huge understatement. The virus, which originated in China, is spreading to countries all over the globe including the United States. Medical professionals are both trying to address those already infected as well as put containment measures in place to avoid further infection.

1. What are Lab Packs?

Laboratory packs aka lab packs are small containers of hazardous waste material packed in drums. They're used by hospitals, laboratories, college campuses, factories, veterinarians, embalmers — anywhere small quantities of hazardous chemicals need to be carefully stored before professionally transported and disposed of by a medical waste disposal service.

Cytotoxic, or chemotherapy waste, is a top concern for healthcare facilities who are always on the lookout for the safest, most cost-effective disposal methods. The smallest of errors when packaging, labeling, and disposing of chemo waste can have serious consequences, including steep fines and penalties for non-compliance.

All medical waste generators are required by federal and state law to follow specific guidelines to properly segregate, transport, and dispose of pathology, or laboratory medical waste. Pathology waste is often generated by facilities like veterinary offices, surgical centers, hospitals, and cosmetic surgery centers where tissue or blood specimens are obtained for diagnostics and/or treatment.