
Let’s start with medical waste. You may already have a general sense of what medical waste is, but it can be a bit more complicated than you think! It’s simply any kind of solid or liquid waste that may be generated from the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings (or animals). In other circumstances, it can also refer to spent materials used in healthcare and clinical settings.
To put it another way: if you’re a busy healthcare provider or clinician, then anything you produce during the care of patients—whether tangibly or intangibly—is considered medical waste. These range from single-use gowns and gloves to paper towels, needles and syringes, pharmaceuticals and other chemotherapeutics, sharps containers, slurred bandages, laboratory specimens – and so much more! That’s why it’s so important to understand the ins and outs of proper medical waste disposa through Medwaste Management.
What Is Biomedical Waste?
You’re probably already familiar with medical waste. That’s the kind of waste that’s generated in a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office. But biomedical waste, while related, is a bit more specialized.
Biomedical waste is any type of waste that contains biological elements and could potentially be hazardous to human health. This kind of waste typically comes from diagnostic or medical research labs, veterinary clinics and hospitals, and can include:
- Blood samples
- Human tissue samples
- Cultures and stocks of infectious agents
- Animal carcasses and body parts
- Contaminated equipment
Because it could potentially be hazardous to humans—spreading diseases like HIV, hepatitis B and C, …