MWR provides biomedical waste disposal services in Michigan. We provide safe, low-cost systems for biomedical waste disposal management.

Biomedical waste disposal is very important as it can lead to medical disasters if not managed carefully. As the name itself says, bio-medical waste is related to medical waste from living organisms. This kind of debris can prove harmful for people in the healthcare facilities and those involved in cleaning them. Laws have been enacted in all states to ensure that the healthcare and sanitary workers do not receive any harm from biomedical waste. Biomedical waste is to be disposed of with great care while following all protocols.

Biomedical waste is defined as “Any solid or liquid waste which may present a threat of infection to humans.” It could be from non-liquid human or animal tissues/ body parts or veterinary waste with pathogenic agents. The pathogens can be transferred through numerous means, and only properly handling can eliminate the chances of infection. Biomedical waste disposal revolves around careful handling, treatment, and disposing of the waste.

Biomedical waste refers to any waste containing infected human or animal waste or any materials with such infected tissues or fluids. They are divided into Infectious Waste, Pathological Waste or Sharps Waste.

Infectious waste contains a large volume of a disease-causing pathogen that could be bacteria, viruses, or fungi. They may come from:

• Cultures of infectious agents in the laboratory
• Infected animals in the lab
• Biomedical waste from surgery patients
• Waste from the rooms of isolated patients

Materials in contact with infected patients on hemodialysis

Though infectious and pathological waste sound similar, they are categorized differently. Pathological waste consists of blood, body fluids, tissues, organs, human fetuses, and animal carcasses. One type of pathological waste is anatomical waste which means identifiable healthy or diseased body parts.

Sharps are readily used in hospitals and healthcare systems. Whether in the pharmacy or operating rooms, sharps are used everywhere. The various sharp objects related to biomedical waste are cannulas, needles, and scalpels, etc. Adequate biomedical waste disposal includes proper disposal of these infected sharps. Carelessness in disposing of the sharps can result in severe risk to a medical worker’s health.

• People should be educated about the safe disposal of biomedical waste
• Those who administer their injections at home should be informed well about the segregation and packaging of waste to prevent exposure.
• The waste should be packed separately at the site of origin
• The biomedical waste should be packed in red leak-proof bags. However, the procedure is not to be followed for sharps
• All the polythene bags should be labeled clearly
• Biomedical waste should not be mixed with the hazardous material. If the waste is mixed with radioactive material or any other substance, it should be disposed of vigilantly.

Burying hazardous/ biomedical waste is prohibited due to its consequences to the environment. Several methods of treating medical waste are practiced globally, such as

• Chemical disinfection
• Incineration
• Wet thermal treatment (steam sterilization)
• Microwave irradiation

Incineration has been widely applied in the past for biomedical waste disposal and treatment, however, the effects of the chemicals released into the environment have made it a less favorable process. Other methods like chemical disinfection are more common now. MWR Michigan will work with you to determine the most cost efficient strategy.

If you are in Michigan and do not have an adequate biomedical waste disposal facility, MWR can work with you to determine an effective plan. We can also guide you on how to classify the waste and dispose of it to ensure the safety of your healthcare workers. Contact us today for a free quote!