What Are My Healthcare Waste Disposal Options?

According to WHO, about 85% of waste generated by healthcare activities is non-hazardous. The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, toxic, or radioactive.

This might be the smaller percentage but it’s certainly the most important of the two – especially when you consider that the NHS produces up to 600,000 tonnes of waste per annum (Defra).

Disposal of healthcare waste – including human waste – can spark a chain of events.

Get it right and you will:

• Prevent infection. Safe waste disposal stops the spread of dangerous pathogens in your healthcare community, including E-Coli, C-Diff, and coronavirus.
• Save money. Using efficient waste disposal methods will mean less waste of your physical resources and utilities, such as water and electricity.
• Save time. The right method will enable auxiliary tasks to be completed quickly, so clinicians can spend more time at the bedside of patients.
• Protect the environment. Progressive waste management solutions have sustainability at the core, helping your facility to meet its green objectives.
  
  

You may think you’re already well-versed in the available waste disposal options.

After all, many healthcare workers have been in the profession for a long time.

According to NMC Register figures, the biggest age demographic of UK Registered Nurses is the 51-60 age group. So, it’s no surprise that many clinicians will have their own opinions of tried-and-tested waste disposal methods.

However, technology is changing rapidly. You may not have experienced the benefits of the latest options – and when it comes to the ever-changing world of infection control, it’s vital to stay on top of the developments that could help you to protect health and deliver greater efficiencies throughout your facility.

Bedpan Washer Disinfectors

For facilities with little storage space for single-use pulp bedpans, a bedpan washer is often the waste disposal method of choice.

Efficient, reliable and cost-effective, a bedpan washer will dispose of hazardous human waste much quicker and more effectively than outdated manual methods, whilst simultaneously minimising clinicians’ exposure to harmful germs.

DDC bedpan washers are guaranteed to stop the spread of major HCAIs, including C. diff, E. coli and norovirus. This is because the steam generated by these machines will reach 80 degrees - the temperature required for killing or denaturing bacteria.

Do you know the advantages of a top-of-the-range bedpan washer?

The market-leading benefits of DDC’s Panamatic Optima include:

• Hands-free open, close and start technology. This reduces cross contamination of infectious materials and minimises the risk of ward outbreaks, keeping staff and patients safe.
• MicrobeSafe+ antimicrobial surfaces.  When germs land on a surface with antimicrobial protection, the antimicrobial ingredient within the surface breaks down the infectious cells. The germs then die and are unable to reproduce.
• Disinfection cycles that are programmed to start automatically. Furthermore, these will be complete in as little as 6 minutes – leaving your staff free to get back to more important tasks.
• Minimised water wastage. Using fixed and rotating wash nozzles, water is directed towards the dirty utensils to maximise dispersal of debris, while also ensuring water is used efficiently.
• Improved uptime. With a steady flow of water to the drain, human waste is removed completely, which prevents blockages and residue build-up in the pipes. In turn, maintenance callouts are vastly reduced.
  
  

Medical Pulp Macerators

Designed to pulverise and dispose of both single-use medical pulp containers and human waste, medical pulp macerators are the sluice room equipment of choice for thousands of healthcare facilities around the world.

Pulp products are extremely economical and also reduce the risk of cross-contamination, as the waste containers are not used by multiple patients or moved around the facility.

Are you familiar with the most technologically advanced pulp macerator on the market?

DDC’s Pulpmatic Eco+ is the leading-edge pulp macerator with a host of previously unseen merits.

These include:

• Fully contactless operation. With a hand sensor that is completely unaffected by light, it needs no calibration and has an adjustable detection range for different requirements, across all users.
• Clear user interface. A five-inch LCD antimicrobial screen will lead users through information such as cycle status, correct items to load, time remaining and error guidance. In turn, breakdowns through accidental misuse are prevented.
• Click and Fit Detergent System. Chemical bottles can be easily slotted into the front of the machine, without needing to juggle large containers. In addition, handy status updates will let you know when the bottle is running low.
• Improved cutting performance. The average particle size of pulp macerated by the Eco+ is less than 3mm, leading to less blockages.
  
  

If you’re looking to update your existing macerators or even build an entirely new sluice room, DDC are on hand to help. We’re proud to have been selected as an NHS preferred supplier of hospital macerators, as well as for the service, maintenance and validation across all brands.

Vacumatic Waste Disposal

Hygenex Vacumatic provides 100% hygienic, efficient, and odourless waste disposal, without the risks of conventional yellow bags. This might be the first time you’ve heard of it, but it could prove revolutionary for your facility – especially if you need a versatile solution, suitable for a small space.

Vacumatic uses a high-quality medical filter to sterilise air from vacuumed disposal bags, completely removing bad odours and bacteria from the extruded air and condensing waste into tightly sealed packages.

All you need to do is empty the waste into an airtight bag and Vacumatic will hermetically seal the contaminated material, ready for safe and easy disposal in the appropriate bin.

If your facility relies on single-use products such as pulp bedpans, bedpan liners, incontinence pads or nappies, Vacumatic allows you to dispose of waste quickly, easily and hygienically, even in areas where bedpan washer or pulp macerator use is not possible.

Vacumatic is:

• Completely hands-free

• Suitable for use in combination with all types of disposable bedpans as well as incontinence pads, nappies and other waste such as handtowels and tissues.
• Exceptionally economical, reducing waste volume by 50%.
• Extremely quiet, using a validated air valve fitted with a medical bacteria filter.
• A safe and efficient alternative to bedpan washers and macerators.

Discover More About Vacumatic In Our Video...

At DDC we understand that you want the best human waste disposal solution for your facility – and we’ll help you to achieve it.