By Healthcare Facilities Today

Blood bags, surgical sponges and what might be human tissue keep turning up at a Monroeville landfill despite warnings by the Department of Environmental Protection to Pittsburgh's two major hospital systems, according to an article on the Trib Live website.

Officials received a complaint about unsterilized medical waste in red bags at the Waste Management landfill, John Poister, an agency spokesman said in the article. Investigators traced them to Allegheny General Hospital and UPMC hospitals, including UPMC Shadyside.

DEP put the hospitals on notice after the complaint, but more waste has appeared in hauls from their hospitals, the article said.

Both UPMC and Allegheny Health Network officials said they've properly disposed of the waste since being notified of the violations and are retraining staff to follow disposal procedures.

Eight to 10 truck loads of trash to the Monroeville facility in the past few weeks have contained medical waste, according to the article.

Gloria Kreps, spokeswoman at UPMC, said medical waste is processed at specialized facilities.

“UPMC is re-educating staff to ensure that all medical waste is strictly monitored and properly disposed,” she said in the article. “UPMC has maintained a presence at the Monroeville landfill to screen all incoming loads and immediately address any identified problems.”l.

Read the article.