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

Making the Energy Efficiency Case to the C-Suite

Hospital executives often wrestle with energy decisions made today that either free up budget for patient care or drain resources that could go elsewhere.


How to Avoid HAIs This Flu Season

There are risks surrounding hospitalizations. Here’s how to avoid them.


Design Phase Set to Begin for Hospital Annex at SUNY Upstate Medical

The design will feature a new, expanded emergency department and burn unit to serve the Central New York Region.


Building Hospital Resilience in an Era of Extreme Weather

Expert Jennifer Mahan discusses the vulnerabilities healthcare facilities face during disasters and the infrastructure strategies that keep operations running.


Ennoble Care Falls Victim to Data Breach

Their investigation into the incident is still ongoing.


 
 


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.