And Why Is Proper Disposal Important?

Biohazardous waste, also known as infectious waste, is any waste that contains potentially infectious pathogens or agents and can be in liquid or solid form as well as on items used for medical procedures/treatments. Because of its ability to cause infection, illness and even death to people and wildlife and its potential to contaminate the environment, it’s crucial that all biohazardous waste is disposed of properly and within compliance mandates. Some examples of biohazardous waste include:

• Blood
• Bodily fluids
• Sharps
• Human tissue
• Human organs
• Animal waste
• Laboratory items

Steps for Proper Disposal

Any medical or healthcare facility, or related organization that is generating medical waste must be aware of the dangers of improper disposal of biohazardous waste and understand how to dispose of it. Here are steps to take to ensure proper disposal:

1. Identify the type of biohazardous waste

Different types of waste require different methods of disposal so it’s important to know which category the waste falls into. For example, sharps must be collected in an approved sharps container, liquid waste in a leak proof and spill proof container, etc.

2. Collect waste in proper containers & do not overfill

Your medical waste disposal provider should provide the proper containers for each type of biohazardous waste. It’s important to be sure you are not overfilling containers as this can pose a risk to patients, staff and visitors to your facility.

3. Have all biohazardous waste picked up on a regular basis

Just like all other medical waste, regular pick up is essential to ensure you are remaining compliant with state and federal mandates. It also prevents a surplus of medical waste onsite at your facility which protects your staff, patients and visitors.

All Points Medical Waste provides pick up, transport and disposal of biohazardous waste. We are a full service medical waste provider located in Stuart, Florida and serving Florida businesses from Okeechobee County all the way to Broward County. We can work with you on a schedule that is customized to the amount of medical waste your organization generates. Give us a call today or complete the form on this page to get more information.