How are wastes from hospitals dangerous? What should be done to prevent them from polluting water?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
(1)Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms which can infect hospital patients, health workers, and the general public. Other potential infectious risks may include the spread of drug-resistant microorganisms from health facilities into the environment.
(2)Use Less Plastic.
Reuse Items.
Recyclable Options.
Do Not Dispose of Oils in the Sink.
Cleaning Chemicals.
Handle Toxic Chemicals Properly.
Shop to Stop Water Pollution.
Do Not Throw Away Medicines.
Answer:
Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms which can infect hospital patients, health workers, and the general public. Other potential infectious risks may include the spread of drug-resistant microorganisms from health facilities into the environment.
1. Autoclaving
The process of autoclaving involves steam sterilization. Instead of incineration, which can be expensive, autoclaving simply introduces very hot steam for a determined amount of time. At the end of the process, microorganisms have been completely destroyed. This process is particularly effective because it costs much less than other methods, and doesn’t present any personal health risks. While some biomedical waste isn’t able to be disposed of via autoclaving, around 90% of materials are sanitized this way before being sent on to a landfill.
2. Incineration
The major benefits of incineration are that it is quick, easy, and simple. It effectively removes the waste entirely, and safely removes any microorganisms. However, when burning hazardous materials, emissions can be particularly dangerous. Some states prefer for waste disposal companies to look towards incineration as their first choice, but materials must be reviewed and determined as safe to burn.
3. Chemicals
When it comes to liquid waste, a common biomedical waste disposal method can be chemical disinfection. Chlorine is a regular choice for this process, and is introduced to the liquid waste in order to kill microorganisms and pathogens. Chemical disposal can also be used for solid wastes, but it is recommended that they be grinded first to ensure maximum decontamination. Liquid waste, once decontaminated, is then disposed into the sewer system.
4. Microwaving
During this process, waste is shredded, mixed with water, and then internally heated to kill microorganisms and other harmful elements. One of the main benefits of this process is the shredding aspect; it lowers the volume of biomedical waste, and it is reportedly more energy efficient to use this method than to incinerate. While it can’t be used for all biomedical wastes, it can be utilized for a good 90% of it, just like autoclaving