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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Managing silver and lead waste in dental offices.

BACKGROUND: The heightened awareness within organized dentistry of environmental issues led the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs to develop recommendations on proper management of silver and lead wastes. OVERVIEW: This council report provides recommendations on managing silver waste (in used fixer solution) and lead waste (in used intraoral film packets, lead aprons and lead collars) through recycling. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These recommendations are intended to provide guidance to practitioners in ensuring responsible disposal of wastes generated by dental offices and in minimizing the release of potential pollutants into the environment.

Dental Waste↗
PubMed1995

The disposal of clinical wastes.

The disposal of clinical wastes is often poorly conducted and inadequately supervised despite the publication of clear and definitive working guidelines and the introduction of increasingly stringent legislative control. The move away from landfill disposal of clinical wastes, and the further development of high temperature incinerators able to meet increasingly tight emission limits, is to be applauded but has inevitably increased the cost of waste disposal. Moreover, such developments fail to address the continuing 'shop floor' problems whereby wastes enter an inappropriate waste stream or colour coded wastes containers are used for inappropriate purposes thus undermining the value of a nationally approved hazard warning policy. The development of newer waste treatments, including microwave exposure of macerated wastes, may reduce costs and aid in the control of environmental pollution. However, stringent control of this and existing technologies remains essential. Additionally, increasing resources must be directed to improvements in primary waste disposal practices whereby all health care staff have a clear responsibility to ensure correct disposal of wastes without risk to themselves, their colleagues and others, or to the environment.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2005

Small-scale medical waste incinerators--experiences and trials in South Africa.

Formal waste management services are not accessible for the majority of primary healthcare clinics on the African continent, and affordable and practicable technology solutions are required in the developing country context. In response, a protocol was established for the first quantitative and qualitative evaluation of relatively low cost small-scale incinerators for use at rural primary healthcare clinics. The protocol comprised the first phase of four, which defined the comprehensive trials of three incineration units. The trials showed that all of the units could be used to render medical waste non-infectious, and to destroy syringes or render needles unsuitable for reuse. Emission loads from the incinerators are higher than large-scale commercial incinerators, but a panel of experts considered the incinerators to be more acceptable compared to the other waste treatment and disposal options available in under-serviced rural areas. However, the incinerators must be used within a safe waste management programme that provides the necessary resources in the form of collection containers, maintenance support, acceptable energy sources, and understandable operational instructions for the incinerators, whilst minimising the exposure risks to emissions through the correct placement of the units in relation to the clinic and the surrounding communities. On-going training and awareness building are essential in order to ensure that the incinerators are correctly used as a sustainable waste treatment option.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1996

Sharps disposal systems.

Good sharps disposal practice is essential to prevent accidental inoculation with blood or body fluids. Many sharps injuries occur during disposal or because of over-filling of disposal systems. All sharps injuries should be reported to the occupational health department.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed1993

Hospital waste management practice in the Czech Republic.

Hospital wastes pose a serious problem. This is primarily caused by the diversity of the individual components of the waste which constitute a risk to health if inadequately handled. It is evident that economic and technical conditions for both a safe disposal as well as efficient steam sterilization and management practice based on legal regulations consequently will contribute to protections of both human health and the environment.

Containment of Biohazards↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Biomedical waste management in the Regional Hospital Center of Ziguinchor].

To make the hospital environment healthier for those it serves, the management of biomedical waste (BMW) was studied in the Ziguinchor Regional Hospital Center (RHC) in Senegal from 1 March through 15 March, 2000. The RHC incinerator had stopped operating in 1993. Problems in BMW management were observed at all levels. Neither identification nor sorting took place during collection. Waste bins were exposed everywhere. Workers, rather than carrying waste bins on their back or head, used rolling tables. BMW ended up in a shallow open pit where they were periodically burned. Workers collected, stored, and transported BMW without any type of protection (gloves, boots, masks, aprons, etc.). The principal determinants of this poor management appear to be inadequate funding and training for the cleaning staff, the staff's failure to realize the dangers, and their use of non-standardized practices, due to the absence of BMW policies. BMW management at Ziguinchor RHC must be corrected. Protective equipment must be used systematically. Similarly, standardized practices must be applied to the decontamination of used objects, the identification and sorting at the source, the recovery and recycling of all objects with any remaining value, and the correct storage of BMW. This waste must be transported under high security from its place of storage to its final disposal site. Deep burial has been selected as the most feasible method of disposal under current conditions. A year-long program has been proposed towards this end. Strategies include training, information, motivation, equipment, supervision and evaluation. The budget to implement this program is CFA 5,423,454 francs, distributed between training (22%), equipment (40%), construction of the pit, and follow-up (38%). The tasks are distributed between a public health doctor, department supervisors, and cleaning staff. The follow-up will include three quarterly inspections, at 3, 6, and 9 months and an evaluation at the end of the program. The effect of the program will be judged by the disappearance of unlawful dumping due to the disposal of all BMW in the RHS's deep burial pit.

Hospitals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessment of medical waste management in a Palestinian hospital].

We studied medical waste management in a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank and the role of municipality in this management. In general, "good management practices" were inadequate; there was insufficient separation between hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, an absence of necessary rules and regulations for the collection of wastes from the hospital wards and the on-site transport to a temporary storage location inside and outside the hospital and inadequate waste treatment and disposal of hospital wastes along with municipal garbage. Moreover, training of personnel was lacking and protective equipment and measures for staff were not available. No special landfills for hazardous wastes were found within the municipality.

Benchmarking↗
PubMed2006

[Hygiene in home care. A study with home care providers].

We studied the implementation of infection control guidelines of 9 providers of home care in the German Ruhr area. The study included 22 nurses, and 214 home care patients were seen. The following main problems were identified: Qualified infection control staff is lacking, infection control protocols are lacking or are not adapted, the cooperation with family doctors often is problematic, there are deficits in hand hygiene and great deficits with clothing hygiene and waste disposal. We suggest improvements for some care tasks, e.g., handling of urinary catheters, infusions and prescription of tracheostomy tubes.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1994

Hospital waste disposal by incineration.

Hospital waste is becoming increasingly complex due to changing technologies and increase in the services that the hospitals perform for the community. Out of the available technology for the final disposal of solid wastes, incineration is best suited for hospital waste as it renders the waste nontoxic, non hazardous, non putrescible and reduces the volume of material for ultimate disposal. Present study was carried out in a service hospital to analyze the requirement of incinerator considering the state of art available in this country. Multi chambered oil fired incinerator installation as an on site facility for hospital solid waste disposal has been recommended as more environment. friendly option.

Hazardous Waste↗
PubMed2003

Making an impact on the hospital environment to improve quality care.

All hospitals and health systems in the country face the same problem: What do they do with the millions of tons of waste they generate each year? This issue of The Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders reveals what a number of award-winning organizations and individuals are doing to make a difference in the healthcare environment through new and innovative ways while impacting the lives of patients, employees, community members, and future generations. Their methods include eliminating the use of products containing mercury, recycling to creating new consumer products, and reviewing the hazards of pharmaceutical disposal.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Managing silver and lead waste in dental offices.

BACKGROUND: The heightened awareness within organized dentistry of environmental issues led the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs to develop recommendations on proper management of silver and lead wastes. OVERVIEW: This council report provides recommendations on managing silver waste (in used fixer solution) and lead waste (in used intraoral film packets, lead aprons and lead collars) through recycling. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These recommendations are intended to provide guidance to practitioners in ensuring responsible disposal of wastes generated by dental offices and in minimizing the release of potential pollutants into the environment.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗