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Reduce Infectious Waste—Meeting JCAHO Standards with Pollution Prevention

Pollution prevention (P2) activities make great performance improvement initiatives. They can help you achieve JCAHO standards included in the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (CAMH) and meet rules, regulations and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) goals. They also promote the health of the public-keeping in line with the basic premise of health care.

Infectious waste has the potential to transmit disease. Incinerating infectious waste creates dioxins. Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause cancer, endocrine disruption and immune disorders. Most infectious waste is generated by surgical services and the laboratory.

Reduce infectious waste in the organization by eliminating inappropriate materials in the infectious waste stream with improved segregation and reduced use of disposable items.

H2E has infectious waste reduction plans and information available to help.

 

 



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Achieve JCAHO CAMH Standards Meet Rules, Regulations and Goals
EC.1, EC.1.2: The organization plans for a safe environment and implements its plan.
  Reducing infectious waste provides for a safe environment by lowering the risk to employees, patients and visitors associated with infectious waste management.

EC.2.8: Personnel have appropriate knowledge and skills regarding the proper management and disposal of hazardous materials.
  All personnel that handle potentially infectious waste should be trained to appropriately identify, segregate and manage it.

EC.4: The organization improves conditions in the environment.
  Reducing infectious waste improves conditions in the environment by lowering the risk of employee, patient and visitor exposure, and reducing pollution in the community.

GO.2: Performance improvement is financially sound.
  Reducing infectious waste reduces costs associated with employee, patient and visitor exposure, and waste management, storage, disposal and liability.

PI.1: Performance improvement is system wide.
  Reducing infectious waste system-wide will improve conditions throughout the organization.

PI.1.2: Performance improvement is consistent with the organization’s mission as it relates to community health.
  Reducing infectious waste improves community health by reducing pollution to the air, water and land.

Clean Air Act, medical waste incinerator rules

Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 171-180. Requirements for packaging, labeling and transporting infectious substances.

P2 Act of 1990, U.S. Code (USC) Title 43 the Public Health and Welfare Chapter 133. Established P2 as a national policy and developed a hierarchy of waste management.

State Infectious/Regulated Medical Waste Regulations. Defines and describes appropriate management of infectious waste.

H2E goal: Reduce volume and toxicity of all types of waste 30 percent by 2005 and 50 percent by 2010.

 

Pollution prevention activities that make great performance improvement initiatives:

mercury | solid waste | infectious waste | chemicals and waste | hazardous waste spills and exposure | ignitable chemicals | pest management | pharmaceutical management | patient safety | environmentally preferable purchasing

JCAHO introduction page

 

 
 
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