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Disposal of Biomedical Wastes Slide 2 Biomedical Waste Presents a Serious Health Problem Risks Include: Outright Injury to Workers Outright Injury to Workers Exposure to Infectious Agents Exposure to Infectious Agents Psychological Trauma Regulatory Actions Legal Actions Environmental Issues The Risks involve: Medical Staff Healthcare Workers Maintenance and Housekeeping Staff Disposal Company Staff Landfill Employees Innocent and Unaware Public (Kids) Slide 3 Some Facts from CDC Sharps Sharps 385,000 needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries are sustained by hospital-based healthcare personnel; an average of 1,000 sharps injuries per day Direct costs associated with the initial and follow-up treatment of exposed healthcare personnel, which are estimated to range from $500 to $3,000 depending on the treatment provided Biomedical Waste Every year, the United States produces approximately 3.2 million tons of medical waste, which includes blood and human waste, used needles and other "sharps," pathological and infectious wastes, "isolation" waste (i.e. waste that could spread highly communicable diseases) and some cytotoxic waste (i.e. chemotherapy byproducts). Slide 4 Some Facts from Okanogan County The Okanogan County Sanitary Landfill has been seeing 3 to 5 incidents of illegal Biomedical Waste Disposal per week. The reports forwarded to Okanogan Public Health by the Landfill have not been gray area violations, but clear and flagrant violations. In addition to violation of local and state regulations on biomedical waste, there have clear violations of HIPAA confidentiality and security regulations (photo documented) Slide 5 Slide 6 4/8/2005: Unshredded medical records, bloody sponges, gauze, gloves biohazard bag, bloody drapes sponges contained in black plastic bag biohazard bag, bloody drapes sponges contained in black plastic bag Consequence: Entire 15,700 pound load was treated as biomedical waste 4/1/2005: Biohazard bags in dumpster with regular garbage Bags with blood gauze, mouth swabs etc 3/31/2005: Bloody Plastic tubes, drapes and trays C-section materials February 15, 2005: Okanogan County Public Health Mailed out Letters to offending waste generators Continued improper disposal places not only the health of workers at risk but also the continued operation of disposal companies and landfill. Public Health, the county landfill and the disposal companies are running out of options. November 2006 : Okanogan County Adopted a Biomedical Waste Code with significant penalties and fees: 1 st Offense: $ 125 + clean up fees 2 nd Offense: $1,000 + clean up fees 3 rd Offense: $4,000 + clean up fees 4 th Offense: $10,000 + loss of disposal privileges Slide 7 Local, State and Federal Regulations Require: Biomedical Waste must be Segregated from regular Domestic Waste at the Site of Origin or Generation The Okanogan County Landfill receives 3 to 5 cases per week of mixed domestic and biomedical waste Slide 8 Local, State and Federal Regulations governing Waste Disposal Companies require: Specialized containers and Handling procedures for Biomedical Waste It is Illegal for Waste Disposal Companies to carry mixed or un-segregated Domestic Waste and Biomedical Waste It is illegal to compress or compact Biomedical Waste Disposal companies can be fined and/or lose their operating permits for violations of these regulations Disposal Companies can refuse to accept mixed wastes Slide 9