Ask a clinical/infectious waste collector anything...
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Is there a lot of wastage - things that you think should really be used more than once and is just binned (incinerated?).
Recent one I saw was a foot immobilizer boot, used for 30 mins to try test if if would suit, did not work as expected, but the hospital just binned it. - I admit this is not infectious, but you get the idea!
Recent one I saw was a foot immobilizer boot, used for 30 mins to try test if if would suit, did not work as expected, but the hospital just binned it. - I admit this is not infectious, but you get the idea!
Blakewater said:
OK, where does it go and what happens to it?
I'm quite new to the job, a few weeks in on my own, a few weeks before that with someone, so limited knowledge.I collect the waste and take it to my base, waste transfer Station, some of it then goes to landfill (sanitary bin bags and dog muck etc), some to incineration (sharps boxes for example), I'm not 100% sure what happens to things like medical pads, plasters etc.
Peanut Gallery said:
Is there a lot of wastage - things that you think should really be used more than once and is just binned (incinerated?).
Recent one I saw was a foot immobilizer boot, used for 30 mins to try test if if would suit, did not work as expected, but the hospital just binned it. - I admit this is not infectious, but you get the idea!
Sharps bins I think should be sterilised and reused in some way, I'm sure they currently go to incineration. Recent one I saw was a foot immobilizer boot, used for 30 mins to try test if if would suit, did not work as expected, but the hospital just binned it. - I admit this is not infectious, but you get the idea!
Other than that, most stuff is bagged so I don't generally see what's inside.
I do think sharps boxes might start being reused at some point in the future, I'm sure I heard talk of it.
wazztie16 said:
Riley Blue said:
Could you pop round and pick up O/H's sharp's bin as it's almost full and would save me having to go to the surgery.
I can't, but you're Derbyshire way aren't you? North? I'm heading up to Mansfield area as it is, just at motorway services.If only I could pop round..
It and its contents were issued by the hospital who patched her up but that was in a different local authority's area to her GP's surgery.
The frontline hospital staff gave her phone numbers to call, but this service won't come to her address as she's out of their area, the hospital aren't geared up to accept such waste.
Her GP surgery won't take it as it's not one of theirs.
So, stalemate. There it sits, waiting.
Cold said:
On a related note, my daughter has virtually full sharps bin under her bed. It's been there for over a year as we can't get anyone to take it or find anywhere to drop it off.
It and its contents were issued by the hospital who patched her up but that was in a different local authority's area to her GP's surgery.
The frontline hospital staff gave her phone numbers to call, but this service won't come to her address as she's out of their area, the hospital aren't geared up to accept such waste.
Her GP surgery won't take it as it's not one of theirs.
So, stalemate. There it sits, waiting.
Ask your local pharmacy. They should take itIt and its contents were issued by the hospital who patched her up but that was in a different local authority's area to her GP's surgery.
The frontline hospital staff gave her phone numbers to call, but this service won't come to her address as she's out of their area, the hospital aren't geared up to accept such waste.
Her GP surgery won't take it as it's not one of theirs.
So, stalemate. There it sits, waiting.
Greshamst said:
These AMA threads are getting silly...
Someone one with a fairly dull job, who then replies ‘not really sure, haven’t been doing it long’ ...
Presumably, you pick up waste, and then drop it off somewhere... what else do you think people would want to know?
Quite - this isn't Reddit.Someone one with a fairly dull job, who then replies ‘not really sure, haven’t been doing it long’ ...
Presumably, you pick up waste, and then drop it off somewhere... what else do you think people would want to know?
Greshamst said:
These AMA threads are getting silly...
Someone one with a fairly dull job, who then replies ‘not really sure, haven’t been doing it long’ ...
Presumably, you pick up waste, and then drop it off somewhere... what else do you think people would want to know?
Good point well made, I'm not really sure. Someone one with a fairly dull job, who then replies ‘not really sure, haven’t been doing it long’ ...
Presumably, you pick up waste, and then drop it off somewhere... what else do you think people would want to know?
No more questions, your honour.
Cold said:
sherman said:
Ask your local pharmacy. They should take it
Should and will are not the same unfortunately. I think we'll just go and scatter them on the beach.
Next news, my manager called me into his office to say she'd written in telling her how horrified she was that I was showing no understanding of people with diabetes and she was a nurse.
RTB said:
If you never look in the bags, would your service be a good way of disposing of a body, a little bit at a time? Asking for a friend of a friend.....
I'd say yes, I've heard its happened before but how much truth there is in it I don't know. Very light tubs that don't rattle and squidgy bags within bags do make me wonder what is inside them...
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