How To Describe and Recognize Medical Waste Streams

Environment Services

 Waste streams are separated into categories. Medical waste can be either regulated or harmful. It could be pharmaceutical or chemotherapeutic waste. It can also be infectious or biohazardous, and it can be transmitted through sharps such as needles, surgical equipment, broken lab slides, and so on. Not all hospitals or healthcare providers generate the same type of trash.


A brief overview of some of the medical waste streams serves as a good beginning point for efficient medical waste segregation. Everyone in a medical facility, from top management to janitors, should be able to detect waste streams. Keep in mind that medical waste management and disposal methods must adhere to federal and state government standards.

Regulated Medical Waste
Regulated Medical Waste (RMW) is defined at the state level, and healthcare personnel at any medical or healthcare facility, regardless of size, should be able to define RMW by state laws. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot currently regulate medical waste, their description provides an excellent summary. The EPA defines medical waste as "any solid waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of humans or animals."

In a nutshell, regulated medical waste is anything that may be contaminated with an infectious material, such as blood or bodily fluids. When considering particular examples, it might be difficult to decide what constitutes infectious, biohazardous, or hazardous waste, as well as whether such wastes are controlled. If you're unclear, ask a simple question: Does the waste drip, pour, or flake even after it's dried? If you answered yes, then it is regulated medical waste.

Infectious Medical Waste
Infectious waste is defined as any waste product or organism that is commonly produced in healthcare settings or health-related sectors and has the potential to cause infection or infectious disease in humans. Infectious waste may include, but is not limited to:
  • Lab waste
  • Sharps
  • Blood and pathological waste
  • Chemotherapy Waste
  • Materials contaminated with a communicable disease.
Biohazard Medical Waste
In many circumstances, infectious waste is biohazard waste, and vice versa. While the particular definitions of biohazard waste and biohazard waste disposal may change slightly in phrasing, the core concept of biohazard waste is anything that has the potential to injure, infect, or contaminate humans with a harmful agent. This may include:
  1. The anatomical waste consists of specimens or tissues removed during an autopsy or surgical treatment that may have been contaminated by an infectious agent that is potentially harmful to one's health. This group is commonly referred to as pathological trash.
  2. Animal parts include carcasses, tissues, and fluids that may contain infectious pathogens that represent a threat to humans.
  3. Infectious waste - defined as any waste containing blood, fluids from blood products, or components used in the treatment of animals or humans that may be contaminated or infected with a disease communicable to humans.
  4. Sharps waste includes not only needles but also surgical blades, scalpels, infusion sets, broken glass, and syringes.
  5. Solid wastes include bandages and dressings contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids. These may also include a cast tainted with perspiration or blood.
Trihaz understands that federal and state codes and regulations can be difficult to understand. That's why we're committed to offering assistance and resources to medical waste generators. Medical waste segregation is just the first stage in healthcare waste management. Call Trihaz Solution now to learn more about how we can assist your facility in maintaining compliance with medical waste disposal practices.
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