U.S. nearing solution on Ebola waste issue

Experts warn that conflicting regulations could make it difficult for hospitals


The United States is approaching an answer to the question of how hospitals should dispose of medical waste from Ebola patients, according to an article on the Huffington Post website.

Experts warn that conflicting regulations could make it difficult for hospitals to handle the medical waste from Ebola patients.

Safely handling such waste presents a dual challenge for regulators, who want to both prevent the accidental spread of the deadly disease and avert any deliberate attempts to use it as a bioweapon, the article said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises hospitals to treat items infected with Ebola in leak-proof containers and discard them as they would other regulated medical waste.

But the Department of Transportation deems Ebola a Category A infectious agent, meaning it is capable of killing people and animals, and not regulated medical waste.

Waste management contractors say they cannot legally haul the material, which leaves hospitals without a way to dispose of the waste, the article said.

Read the article.

 

 



October 8, 2014


Topic Area: Maintenance and Operations


Recent Posts

Cleanliness in Hospitals: Clinical Priority and Community Perception

EVS managers and communities value cleanliness for complementary reasons: managers for safety and compliance, communities for trust and comfort.


Dana-Farber Receives $50M Gift for Planned Cancer Hospital

A $50 million grant from the Yawkey Foundation will support construction of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s planned 450,000-square-foot cancer hospital.


Clarinda Regional Health Center Reports Data Security Incident

On or around December 15, 2025, Clarinda learned that certain data within its network may have been accessed without authorization.


Gaps in Nurses' Environmental Cleaning Knowledge Grow Amid Rising EVS Pressures

Environmental cleaning is crucial in preventing HAIs, but when the responsibility falls to those outside of EVS teams, problems arise. 


Ground Broken on the Southern Nevada Forensic Facility

Construction on the new secure forensic psychiatric hospital is expected to be completed in 2029.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.