Safety Evaluation of the Sterilization Effect of Intermediate Treatments for Medical Waste

概要

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Since wastes generated by medical care facilities can cause infection, they are designated as specially controlled wastes and attention must be paid to their handling. Intermediate treatments such as sterilization and incineration are obligatory before final disposal at landfill sites.<BR>In this study, we evaluated the safety of intermediate treatment methods for medical wastes, including incineration, steam sterilization, electromagnetic wave sterilization and UV radiation sterilization, using a battery of bioassays and a viable cell count test. We compared the sterilization effectiveness of these intermediate treatments using model microorganisms. In the experimental results, no bacteria or fungi were found in the incineration treatment residues, but they were found in the non-incineration sterilization treatments using high pressure steam, UV irradiation and electromagnetic waves. In the battery of bioassays for toxicity evaluation, inhibition action was observed in the residues of both incineration and non-incineration treatments. However, the incineration ash of paper diapers showed relatively strong toxicity. These experimental results suggest that both the infectious microorganisms and the toxicity of hazardous chemicals persisting in treatment residues should be considered before the final disposal of medical wastes.
一般社団法人廃棄物資源循環学会の論文