Medical Waste Disposal Guidelines

Prayer Before Class

• A prayer is offered before class at UST General Santos
• The prayer requests divine illumination, dispelling ignorance and sin
• The prayer asks for understanding, a sharp memory, and ease in learning
• It seeks to express oneself well and guide the class work's progression to completion
• The prayer asks God and His son to help for successful completion of the work

Unit 6: Healthcare Waste Management

• The unit is from the UST General Santos Medical Technology Department
• It's part of Principles of Medical Technology Practice 1
• The unit outlines a comprehensive healthcare waste management system
• The course includes topics on definition, categories, impact, management, recycling and legal issues in healthcare waste management.

Learning Outcome

• Students will categorize and explain proper healthcare waste management process at the end of the unit
• Students are expected to classify biomedical and hazardous wastes within the unit's duration

Healthcare Waste Management System

• A waste management hierarchy diagram is described which shows that prevention, reduction and reuse take precedence over other measures like treatment and disposal.
• Waste hierarchy prioritizes prevention of waste, reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery, and treatment, followed by disposal.

Segregation of Health Care Wastes

• Waste generators are mandated to keep separating different types of waste.
• This process starts from the point of generation to the final disposal using bins

Guidelines for Labelling, Marking and Color Coding

• A table provides information on color codes for various waste types
  • Black for Non-infectious dry waste
  • Green for Non-infectious wet waste
  • Yellow for Infectious and pathological waste
  • Orange for Chemical waste including those with heavy metals.
  • Red for Sharps and pressurized containers

Symbols Used for Yellow Plastic Liners

• Various symbols and their descriptions for warning and guidance are included for caution
• Warning symbols for different types of waste materials are listed with their relevant meanings

General Waste

• The bin for general waste should have the recycle symbol for recyclable non-hazardous waste
• General waste liners are color coded for the different types of waste

Infectious Waste

• The bin and liner should be clearly labelled as "INFECTIOUS WASTE"
• The liners and bins should have a strong, leak-proof cover
• The biohazard symbol should be clearly visible

Pathological and Anatomical Wastes

• The bin and liner should have a designated label as "PATHOLOGICAL/ANATOMICAL WASTE"
• The waste liners and bins should have strong, leak proof covers
• The biohazard symbol should be prominently displayed

Chemical Waste

• The bins are labeled "CHEMICAL WASTE" with amber colored disposal bottles with at least 4 Liter capacity

Pharmaceutical Waste

• Pharmaceutical waste bins and liners have the label "PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE" on them
• The waste should be kept in its original packaging for proper labelling
• Expired drugs and containers should be stored temporarily in a pharmacy

Radioactive Waste

• Radioactive waste bins and liners are are orange and labelled as RADIOACTIVE

Proper Collection and Transport of Healthcare Waste

• Onsite collection involves using designated trolleys to transport waste.
• Personnel handling waste must be trained and equipped.
• Offsite transporters must only be accredited DENR collectors, who have authorization

Treatment of Healthcare Wastes

• Healthcare wastes are decontaminated through sterilization or disinfection
• Sterilization kills all microorganisms, while disinfection reduces the microorganisms.

Pyrolisis

• Thermal decomposition method in the absence of oxygen
• Wastes are converted to gaseous, liquid, or solid forms
• Processes produce residues of greasy aggregates, slugs, recoverable materials and carbon black

Autoclave

• Steam sterilization utilizing high pressure and heat
• This disinfection process is effective on wet waste

Microwave

• Shredding of waste is completed prior to disinfection
• Microwaves increase the waste temperature to 100°C
• Moist heat destroys microorganisms

Chemical Disinfection

• Sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, and heated alkali are used
• The process produces chemical wastes

Biological Process

• Enzymes decontaminate healthcare wastes
• Byproducts are processed through an extruder to remove water before wastewater disposal

Encapsulation

• Using high-density polyethylene or metallic drums to contain the waste
• Waste materials are placed into the containers, and then sealed once the medium has dried

Inertization

• Suitable for pharmaceutical waste
• Homogeneous mass can be transported to a proper storage site
• The process includes: packaging removal, grinding and mixing with water, lime, and cement

Disposal of Healthcare Wastes

• Processed healthcare waste is disposed of in landfills
• Landfills must obtain permits from the DENR
• Properly treated healthcare wastes can be mixed with general waste which are certified by the DOH.

Disposal of Healthcare Wastes in Far-Flung Areas

• Healthcare facilities generally dispose of waste through safe burial
• This is only applicable for treated infectious wastes, sharps, pathological and anatomical wastes, and small quantities of packaged/inertisized solid chemical and pharmaceutical wastes

Legal Issues and Local Regulatory Agencies

• The topic covers laws and policies relating to healthcare waste management.

International Agreements Pertaining to Healthcare Waste Management

• The Montreal Protocol on Ozone Layer Depleting Substances
• The Basel Convention on Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

National Laws and Policies on Healthcare Waste Management

1. Hospital Licensure Act (RA No. 4226) and DOH Implementing Guidelines
2. RA No. 6969 and its relevant AO (Administrative Order)
3. Philippine Clean Air Act (RA No. 8749)
4. Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA No. 9003)
5. Environmental Impact Statement System (PD No. 1586)
6. Gradual Phaseout of Mercury (DOH AO No. 2008-0021)
7. DOH Manual on Health Care Waste Management
8. BFAD on Inventory, proper disposal, and destruction of used vials or bottles

Assignment

• Answer pages 189, 190, 211, and 212 of Principles of Medical Laboratory Science 1 by Benitez
• Deadline is November 26, 2024, at 12:00 noon

Dominican Blessing

• A prayer for blessings, healing, and guidance