The Health Risks of Biohazardous Waste Emissions

Filtration Can Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Biohazardous Waste Defined

Biohazardous waste is a necessary evil stemming from many essential institutional activities. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities – as well as laboratories, mortuaries and autopsy centers, blood banks, and veterinary offices – need to dispose of dangerous contaminated materials. Elimination is good but the handling of biologic debris can create unhealthy and potentially harmful emissions unless strict protective measures are put in place.

According to the CDC, biohazardous waste is matter that contains infectious agents or hazardous biologic materials that present a risk or potential risk to the health of humans, animals, or the environment. OSHA takes a narrower view, calling it biomedical waste or regulated medical waste (RMW) that may present a risk of illness, injury, or death to workers. By either definition, such matter should be handled and disposed of with the utmost care.

Examples

The types of biohazardous waste are not limited to those medical or scientific in nature and can include carcasses, trauma scene remains, animal and contaminated food supply waste, as well as microorganisms or pollutants from other biological sources (venoms, toxins). But the most commonly referred to biohazardous waste includes matter such as:

• Sharps (syringes, needles, test tubes)
• Microbial cultures (bacteria, parasites, viruses)
• Genetic material
• Body tissue and organs
• Body fluid (i.e.: blood)

IAQ and Occupational Risk

There are numerous ways in which biohazardous waste can impact indoor air quality. Here are just a few:

1. Aerosolization. Certain actions can produce mists and particulates that become airborne and spread quickly.
2. Humidity and dampness. Both can create environments ripe for mildew growth.
3. Direct contamination. When biohazards are mishandled, they can be released directly into the atmosphere.

Once IAQ is compromised, individuals (workers, patients) become exposed to potentially infectious pathogens that could trigger allergic reactions, respiratory distress, and/or transmit illness.

Biohazardous Waste Mitigation Strategies

State and federal agencies, such as the CDC and OSHA, advise that engineering and work practice controls be used to minimize employee exposure. These recommended safeguards should be considered the first line of defense.

Beyond compliance with regulatory protections that include education, training, proper waste management, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), there is one more way to enhance safety protocols that can protect workers from hazardous waste emissions: air filtration.

Air cleaning and HEPA filtration are designed to collect polluted air at the source. Portable air cleaners, also called air purifiers, add a secondary layer of defense against harmful pollutants stemming from the handling of biohazardous waste.

Our portable HEPA filter air cleaning systems come in a variety of models with filtration capabilities ranging in room sizes as small as your typical hospital room to multi-use areas up to 1200 sq. ft. To find out more about our air cleaning systems – such as our SP987-3 Portable Air Cleaner, contact AIRS, Inc. to speak to one of our indoor air specialists today about which product is right for your facility.