Annotation1

= = = = =Basura Medical Waste Resources (2006-2012) “Treatment of Medical Waste”[]=

This article talks about what the primary methods of treatment and disposal of medical waste are. Then it talks about how incineration (burning) and autoclaves (sterilizers) are used in the process of disposal. There is also a short segment that talks about how recent work in Japan can help improve disposal methods.

“ Autoclaves are closed chambers that apply both heat and pressure, and sometimes steam, over a period of time to sterilize medical equipment.”

“Incineration is the controlled burning of the medical waste in a dedicated medical waste incinerator.”

“Recent work in Japan has found a method of chemically stabilizing heavy metals in fly ash from medical waste incinerators.”

This article claims that 90% of medical waste is incinerated. It also states that autoclaves can be used to process up to 90% of medical waste. In Japan they are also working on developing a dual torch plasma arc furnace to help reduce fly ash from incinerators.

This is very helpful because it states the ways that medical waste is taken care of. It also talks about the ways they are improving the disposal system.

I might use these facts in my report:

Incineration-

 * 1) This article claims that 90% of medical waste is incinerated.
 * 2) Incinerators are often referred to as the hospital/medical/infection waste incinerators (HMIWIs).
 * 3) The EPA has reported that 20% of medical waste is plastic. Dioxins and furans can be exposed during the process of incineration.
 * 4) Often medical waste incinerators are not being replaced at the end of their service life.

Autoclaves-
5. Many landfills and incineration facilities won’t take the waste after in has gone through this process. They are scared that the waste is infectious.
 * 1) They are used to destroy all microorganisms that may be in them.
 * 2) After going through the autoclave, lots of medical waste is also subjected to compaction processes to such as shredding so they may not be reused.
 * 3) They can process up to 90% of medical waste.
 * 4) They are very efficient, but the transportation is not.