See also:
Home Health Care
Education, Patient
Medical Waste Disposal in Non-Medical Settings
Due to the trend toward home based health care and patients being sent home earlier from the hospital, there has been an increase in medical waste being disposed of "at home" as municipal waste and ending up at landfills as garbage. This poses a significant health risk to anyone encountering medical waste through the course of their work, spills or other accidents.
Therefore, the AAFP supports:
1) Education about safe disposal of medical waste to the public,
2) Community based disposal programs that are available and affordable,
and
3) Policies to encourage and programs that provide for safe community
disposal of medical waste from non-medical settings.
Medical Waste Definition: Medical waste is generally defined as any solid waste that includes but not limited to: soiled or blood soaked bandages, discarded gloves, needles, swabs, syringes and other sharps. (2003)
Therefore, the AAFP supports:
1) Education about safe disposal of medical waste to the public,
2) Community based disposal programs that are available and affordable,
and
3) Policies to encourage and programs that provide for safe community
disposal of medical waste from non-medical settings.
Medical Waste Definition: Medical waste is generally defined as any solid waste that includes but not limited to: soiled or blood soaked bandages, discarded gloves, needles, swabs, syringes and other sharps. (2003)
