Medical Waste Disposal Jackson, MS

Medical Waste Disposal Jackson, MS

Jackson was founded in 1821 at the site of a trading post situated on a “high handsome bluff” on the west bank of the Pearl River. The town, which for a while was called LeFleur’s Bluff, became the permanent seat of government for Mississippi and was named Jackson in honor of Major General Andrew Jackson, who would later become the seventh president of the United States.

Jackson grew slowly throughout the 1800s and was ravaged and burned by Union troops during the Civil War. Only the City Hall was spared the Union’s onslaught, likely only because the building was being used as an army hospital. At the turn of the century, just 8,000 people lived in capital of Mississippi, but from 1900 the population began accelerating at a rapid rate.

Today more than 170,000 people live in Jackson, making the “City with Soul” one of Mississippi’s most important cities. It provides a central point of focus between Memphis and New Orleans, to the north and south, and between Dallas and Atlanta, to the east and west. It remains a major distribution center for its neighbors and as such has a comprehensive transportation network. Because of this Jackson is nicknamed the “Crossroads of the South”.

Jackson is vibrant and modern city. Residents are proud of their Southern hospitality and lifestyle. The city offers two regional shopping malls, countless restaurants and a strong community interest in the arts, theatre, opera and ballet.

Jackson is home to eleven hospitals including the nationally regarded University of Mississippi Medical Center. These centers provide treatment and care for thousands of patients in the region and so the city appreciates the need for safe and proper medical waste disposal. Jackson is covered entirely by the federal OSHA program, as are all cities in the state of Mississippi.

The Mississippi State Department of Health makes a distinction between “infectious medical waste” and just “medical waste”. “Infectious medical waste” is defined as “solid or liquid wastes, which may contain pathogens with sufficient virulence and quantity such that exposure to the waste by a susceptible host has been proven to result in an infectious disease”. In practical terms this means waste products that are generated in the diagnosis and treatment of humans and animals such as discarded sharps, pathological wastes like bodily fluids removed during surgery, and blood products such as serum. “Medical Waste” is defined as “all waste generated in direct patient care or in diagnostic or research areas that is non-infectious but aesthetically repugnant if found in the environment”.

What To Do With Medical Waste in The City with Soul

The state OSHA regulations apply whether you are a large hospital, a small veterinary practice, or anything in between. Waste must be contained in such a way that minimizes its exposure to the public and keeps it protected from animal intrusion. Sharps, such as used needles, must be kept in rigid, leak-proof, puncture-resistant containers that are manufactured for the purpose of sharps containment. All of your infectious waste must be segregated, contained and labeled at the point of contamination. The OSHA Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standards impacts various other aspects of storing infectious medical waste. These include the requirements for the type of containers and bags that hold or store infectious waste, correct labeling requirements and mandatory employee training.

Method In The Madness

Disposing of infectious medical waste is a complicated business, but there are a number of methods available to you in treating your materials. Incineration is the most common method and uses extremely high temperatures to kill bacteria. At such high temperatures, no bacteria are able to survive. Steam sterilization can also be employed to use heat to render waste non-infectious and the remains can be treated as regular medical waste. Approved sewerage systems can be used in some circumstances if the waste is liquid or semi-liquid.

Many healthcare facilities choose to use medical waste disposal companies to fulfill their treatment needs. Medical waste companies have the knowledge and understanding of biohazardous waste disposal and offer reliable and flexible services to their customers. This removes the burden of meeting stringent treatment requirements and investment in expensive treatment facilities. You can rest assured that your waste is disposed of correctly and that the process is documented from the point of collection right through to final destruction.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has not at present specified clear regulations for the transporting and managing your infectious medical waste. Transporters do not currently need to obtain a permit, however upon collection of infectious waste from any healthcare facility, the person, or company, collecting the waste assumes full responsibility for the waste and ownership once the transfer is complete. Waste must then be managed in such a way that it does not pose a risk to public health and the environment. Infectious waste can only be delivered to a treatment facility that is licensed and permitted to accept such wastes, but it remains the generator’s responsibility to ensure their hazardous waste disposal company are legitimate and apply correct handling and disposal practices.

MedPro Takes The Stress Out Of Disposal

MedPro Disposal is the cost-effective alternative for medical waste disposal in Jackson, MS. Our team of disposal specialists will work with you to create a customized and effective collection schedule. Your customer satisfaction is our priority and we will adapt to your disposal needs. Unlike some other medical waste disposal companies, we will never sign you up to services that you do not need.

MedPro Disposal is here to deliver. Our methods of disposal are environmentally friendly and comply with all state regulations. Our mail-back service can be a low-cost solution for some facilities and our OSHA approved training services will ensure your employees are safe in their day-to-day activities. No matter how demanding your needs, now and into the future, we will work with your organization to remove the stress out of safe medical waste disposal. Contact MedPro today to find out how.