Biosafety experts say U.S. hospitals may be unprepared to safely dispose of the infectious waste generated by Ebola patients, according to an article on The Guardian website.
Waste management companies are refusing to haul away the soiled sheets and Ebola virus-spattered protective gear, citing federal guidelines that require Ebola-related waste to be handled in special packaging by people with hazardous materials training, according to the article. Many US hospitals are unaware of the regulations.
Emory University Hospital in Atlanta treated two US missionaries who were evacuated from West Africa in August and its waste hauler, Stericycle, initially refused to handle it.
According to the article, Emory sent staff to Home Depot to buy 32-gallon rubber waste containers with lids. Emory kept the waste in a special containment area for six days until the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brokered an agreement with Stericycle.
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