Medical Waste Disposal Long Beach, CA

Medical Waste Disposal Long Beach, CA

Long Beach is situated in the heart of Southern California, blending big city life and urban metropolis with the relaxed atmosphere of a beach resort. The city boasts 5.5 miles of vibrant, sandy beachfront and enjoys Californian sun all the year round. And yet Long Beach suffers from some of the worst air pollution in the entire United States due to its proximity to the twin ports of Los Angeles and the ships that use its waters. Similarly, the water quality in the Long Beach portion of San Pedro Bay, which is enclosed by the Federal Breakwater, commonly ranks among the poorest on the entire West Coast. The urban runoff from the Los Angeles metropolitan area flows directly into the harbor water, bringing with it garbage, chemical pollutants and biological pathogens. Many Long Beach beaches average a D or F grade on beach water quality and the water is often unsafe for swimming. In a city where the medical center is the city’s second largest employer, proper Long Beach, CA medical waste disposal has never been more important in ensuring the environment of Long Beach, and its inhabitants, remain safe.

Regulating Long Beach, CA Medical Waste Disposal

Long Beach operates strict regulations on biohazard waste disposal that are set out in the California Medical Waste Management Act. The Act governs the management of medical waste in all jurisdictions of the State. In many counties it is the State that is the Local Enforcement Agency. However, in Long Beach it is The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (LBHHS) Bureau of Environmental Health that is responsible for administering and enforcing the Medical Waste Management Program.

Medical waste defines waste products meeting both of the following requirements:

1. Waste that is generated or produced as a result of the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of humans or animals. This includes waste generated in clinical research.
2. Waste that is either biohazardous in nature or considered sharps waste, such as used hypodermic needles or lancets.

Medical waste is often incorrectly assumed to include all products used in healthcare practice. However, medical waste does not include waste that is not biohazardous, such as paper towels or other products commonly found in healthcare facilities that do not contain an infectious agent.

Biohazardous Waste Segregation and Containment

Rules for containing and storing medical waste vary depending on the type of waste. Waste must be segregated from other municipal waste (trash) at the point of contamination. Sharps must be placed in rigid, leak-proof, puncture-resistant containers. Biohazardous waste must be placed in a red biohazard bag clearly labeled with the words “Biohazardous Waste” or with the international biohazard symbol and the word “BIOHAZARD.” Pathological waste such as human surgery specimens must be segregated from other medical waste and labeled with the words “Pathology Waste” or “ PATH”.

Waste must be stored in such a way that it does not pose a risk to those that it might come into contact with. Therefore biohazard bags must be tied to prevent leakage or expulsion of contents during all storage, handling, or transport. Containers must be leak resistant and kept clean. Containers should be regularly inspected for damage and discarded when no longer fit for purpose. Sharps containers must be tightly closed with tape and not left for longer than seven days. They must be labeled with the words “sharps waste” or with the international biohazard symbol and the word “BIOHAZARD”.

Protecting Long Beach and its People

Medical waste generators in Long Beach, whether large quantity generators (more than 200lbs per month), or small quantity generators (less than 200lbs per month), must ensure that their waste treated properly and rendered into solid waste, thereby making it safe. There are a number of options available in managing biohazard waste disposal:

• Incineration – Incinerators use extremely high temperatures to kill bacteria. At such high temperatures, no bacteria are able to survive and the items are deemed safe for recycling or disposal. Incineration must take place at a permitted medical waste treatment facility in a controlled-air, multi-chamber incinerator.
• Steam sterilization – at a permitted medical waste treatment facility or by other sterilization, in accordance with all approved operating procedures.
• Other alternative medical waste treatment methods that are approved by the department and result in the destruction of pathogenic micro-organisms.

Healthcare providers with “on-site” treatment facilities are required to submit a Medical Waste Management Plan with The Long Beach Certified Unified Program Agency. The agency provides a checklist to assist medical waste generators in developing their own plan. Handling and treating your own medical waste is a complicated process and requires significant financial investment to implement the necessary facilities. Many medical waste generators, whether they are hospitals, funeral homes, tattoo parlors or veterinary clinics, choose to employ Long Beach, CA medical waste disposal companies to fulfill their needs. This removes the burden of having to treat the medical waste themselves and is far more cost effective than setting up their own on-site facilities.

It is against the law for individuals to place home-generated sharps into municipal trash or recycling containers. Long Beach residents must dispose of home-generated sharps, such as used syringes, in approved and properly labeled containers, at an approved facility. Residents can dispose of their sharps for free at either permanent sharps collection centers or at local weekend sharps collection events. Most medical waste disposal companies also offer a mail-back service that allows individuals to post their household levels of post in the regular mail.

MedPro Disposal Is The Cost Effective Alternative Of Choice

MedPro Disposal can take the hassle out of medical waste disposal. We offer pick-up and disposal services in Long Beach, CA and we can adapt to your needs to create a customized and flexible collection schedule. We take pride in our customer service and our disposal specialists will work with you to formulate a program that is effective, safe, and most importantly affordable. Unlike some other companies, we will never sign you up to a service that you do not need.

We offer leading OSHA compliant training programs for your employees and provide a mail-back service for smaller generators of waste. We have built our reputation on a reliable service and whatever your company’s needs, now or in the future, MedPro Disposal is ready to deliver. We will work with you to create a customized plan that meets your requirements and disposes of waste in a way that is safe and environmentally friendly.