Hospitals Unprepared for Hazardous Ebola Waste

U.S. hospitals could have trouble handling and disposing of Ebola-related waste if they begin to treat infected patients, potentially threatening public safety.

The hemorrhagic fever is transmitted through bodily fluids and produces significant vomiting and diarrhea in people it infects.

These fluids would be considered biohazards and require special handling and disposal that few hospitals are prepared to carry out.

As health officials entertain the possibility that more Ebola cases could arrive in the United States, it’s a logistical problem hospitals are starting to consider.

The challenge was highlighted Wednesday in a report by Reuters, which chronicled how doctors at Emory University in Atlanta handled Ebola waste in the course of treating two infected missionaries.

Patients were generating “up to 40 bags a day of medical waste,” according to Emory assistant professor of medicine Aneesh Mehta. And the hospital’s disposal company, Stericycle, reportedly refused to handle the material at first.

So clinicians found a temporary solution: 32-gallon rubber containers with lids from Home Depot. Later, they used a special sterilizer to neutralize the waste before passing it to the company for disposal.

Reuters noted that few hospitals have the ability to sterilize materials on site like Emory.

“For this reason, it would be very difficult for a hospital to agree to care for Ebola cases. This desperately needs a fix,” Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, chair of the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s Public Health Committee, told the wire service.

Federal health and transportation agencies are reportedly meeting to discuss and resolve the issue.

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Greatly Increased Metal Recycling!

“Covanta has increased ferrous metal recycling from waste to bottom ash by upgrading its magnetic sorting systems” their waste energy facilities’ new method could potentially recover 7.5 million tons of metal each year.

Bottom ash is what results from burning mixed solid waste (Covanta burns this to generate energy), combustion and air pollution control take place and then, bottom ash is produced. The amount of metals in the ash is significant and magnets are then used to capture the metals from the ash which will then be recycled.

By updating their equipment they found that they were able to capture more ferrous and nonferrous metals from waste. The rare earth magnetic scrap drum is one such piece of equipment, as it has the power to attract more metals across its surface compared to other magnets.

Some weeks ago we posted some amazing articles about capturing precious resources and using magnets.

This article talks about a satellite equipped with a giant magnet in space that collects orbiting debris: https://wastetracking.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/japan-prepares-to-launch-giant-net-into-orbit-to-sweep-up-space-debris/

And these robots are designed to separate more debris from mixed construction and demolition debris: https://wastetracking.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/for-those-in-robotics-construction-and-waste-prepare-to-be-amazed-by-zenrobtics/

It turns out that magnets do a lot more than just deliver music to our ears.

Source: http://www.waste-management-world.com/articles/2014/08/case-study-increased-metal-recycling-from-waste-to-energy-ash-with-rare-earth-magnet.html

 

 

#Beach day #clean up day =) #OurOcean2014

 

We told you about clean up #OurOcean2014 a little over a month ago but we figured that while the weather is still so nice out we would remind you that organizing a beach clean up is even easier by visiting this page: https://wastetracking.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/looking-for-a-good-weekend-activity-look-no-further-than-ourocean2014-and-giveback/

There’s information on what to do before and during a beach clean up, and adding #ourocean2014 to your social media posts while organizing this will help your event gain visibility. If you have any questions of want to invite us, please Tweet us @WasteTracking we can also help you spread the word!

 

 

Shocked that some cities still need to consider construction recycling

Just read in the news that Burlington, Vt. is currently considering recycling their construction waste…

The good news is that the city is starting the process of making recycling construction waste a requirement for building permits.

Although this was shocking news for us, it does make since that because construction is on the rise in the Berlington, Vt., this is just now being addressed.

Best wishes to the city and their diversion efforts!

 

Source: http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/story/d/story/burlington-considers-construction-recycling/13736/AJ_hUwH6BkmMlficA-2YRw

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For those in #robotics, #construction and #waste, prepare to be amazed by @zenrobtics

The ZenRobotics Recycler currently separates Metal, Wood and Stone from mixed construction and demolition debris. The separator received the Global Cleantech Cluster Association’s Later Stage Award for Best in Waste Management at the end of 2013 and ZenRobotics Ltd. is working on increasing the features of this product. Separating mixed construction and demolition debris is important because currently people perform their arduous task and their labor could be use very effectively elsewhere in waste facilities. Not only does this take a dangerous and tedious task off of the hands of waste facility employees, but this robot even improves recovery rates and sorting efficiency.

Jaakko Särelä, CEO of ZenRobotics, says that ““It is already clear that clean technology will develop to a globally significant business sector. What is now needed is a national strategy for the development of environmental technology”. The minimum amount of reclaimed debris that the sorter can reclaim annually is 12,000 tons with the potential to sort up to 60,000 tons. In addition, the sorter little energy, and only costs $1.36/hour to operate.

 

Source: https://mygreenhalo.wordpress.com/

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How do planners decide where to build a waste station?

In New York, there were lawsuits that sought to lock out the construction of a controversial waste-transfer station from the East River at E. 91^St St. in Manhattan.

The plaintiffs, argued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in issuing the city a construction permit saying that they failed to look hard at the environmental consequence of building the station at that aforementioned location.

On the contrary Manhattan Federal Judge Paul Crotty said that the decision to build a 10 story waste transfere station on East 91^st St. is “rational and well-supported”.

 

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/judge-dismisses-lawsuits-seeking-block-construction-upper-east-side-garbage-transfer-station-article-1.1863023

 

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@foodfuelfuture Sustainable America’s #infographic on composting in small areas!

Composting in small areas is a little tricky ( mainly because of the box needed, which can be purchased here: http://bit.ly/1mcaBnO ) but once you have a vermicomposting bin then composting is much easier since the red wigglers involved can migrate away from the compost when they have finished eating. Wastetracking.com has researched composting with worms extensively and we find this infographic to be really illustrative and it helps make vermicomposting easy!

 

You can find out more about Sustainable America and donate to their cause here!: http://www.sustainableamerica.org/

Happy composting! Let us know how it turns out.

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IBM #research just invented a new experimental polymer!

IBM researchers just created a new polymer that is flexible, self-healing, strong and recyclable! Dr. Jeannette Garcia was in IBM’s lab experimenting with high-performance materials when she created an unexpected polymer. To read more about this discovery in a scientific journal, please click here.

Today’s materials commonly experience stress fracture cracks which sometimes make them difficult to recycle, however the self-healing and strong nature of this new experimental polymer might increase the amount of recyclable materials.

IBM recently posted a video that shows the polymer and explains some exciting potential applications:

 

(Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/15/ibm-self-healing-polymer/)

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#CNNbusinessreview on Myerscough’s Green Your Cup

I find this video to be inspiring and genius, I think that recyclable paper cups will be widely adopted soon but I’m curious about if Myerscough’s Green Your Cup has patented “technology” that makes it clear that they are “the only game in town”. Best wishes to them as anyone who can help our environment like this we hope succeeds. 50 billion cups in landfills each year is atrocious but I can imagine that’s how much the world produces. Thanks a million for sharing CNN.

Looking for a good #weekend activity? Look no further than #OurOcean2014 and #giveback

The U.S. Embassy Manila’s Public Affairs Section just released a wonderful guide on how to organize a clean-up:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/19452/pdfs/Coastal%20Clean-up%20Toolkit.pdf

There are simple guidelines for what to do 1 week before the clean-up, how to organize the clean-up 2 weeks before the date, on the date, and after the date making this quick and easy! Another awesome thing about this document is that it shows you what tags will attract people to help you and to help you gain visibility to spread the word.

 

 

 

Litter from the streets usually makes its way to the ocean and the chances of litter harming any of the wild life on its “way to the bay” are huge and it’s extremely devastating.

There are trending Twitter, Facebook and Instagram tags right now such as #OurOcean2014 and #PHcares4oceans that can make clean-ups this year different than previous years.

Please Tweet us @wastetracking if we inspired you to clean-up #OurOcean2014 !

 

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