How to use LDPE Bags as Hazardous waste bags
Plastics have emerged,1940 and became popular for Industrial as well as for consumer use. On an annual basis, approximately 260 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide. Plastics are categorized into Recyclable Plastics and non-recyclable plastics. Recyclable Plastics include PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE(High-Density Polyethylene), V (Polyvinyl chloride), LDPE(Low-density Polyethylene), PP(Polypropylene), PS (Polystyrene) and many more. Among these LDPE is most preferably used as Bags for Industrial Applications. LDPE Bags have a low melting point and are tough and flexible. They have moisture barrier properties because of which, they are mostly preferred to dispose of the hazardous Industrial waste.
INDUSTRIAL PLASTIC BAGS
Plastics have emerged,1940 and became popular for Industrial as well as for consumer use. On an annual basis, approximately 260 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide. Plastics are categorized into Recyclable Plastics and non-recyclable plastics. Recyclable Plastics include PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE(High-Density Polyethylene), V (Polyvinyl chloride), LDPE(Low-density Polyethylene), PP(Polypropylene), PS (Polystyrene) and many more. Among these LDPE is most preferably used as Bags for Industrial Applications. LDPE Bags have a low melting point and are tough and flexible. They have moisture barrier properties because of which, they are mostly preferred to dispose of the hazardous Industrial waste.
How to use LDPE Bags as Hazardous waste bags
Hazardous waste is the waste disposed of specific sources such as Industries, which cause a major threat to human life. As these Hazardous wastes are highly reactive, these are subjected to disposal as early as possible. Such a disposal is achieved only through LDPE Bags with a thickness of 50 microns, available in degradable, bio-degradable and compostable forms. LDPE bags can be used as Hazardous waste bags as they resist water and weather conditions.
Best Guidelines for the disposal of hazardous waste using LDPE Bags
Nearly 6.2 million metric tons of Hazardous waste are produced every year which undergoes final disposal in secured landfills or gets incinerated or gets recycled. Therefore final disposal is only possible through transportation based on the guidelines issued from time to time. The following are the best guidelines for the Disposal of Hazardous waste using LDPE bags-
- Characterization of the Hazardous waste: Whether the waste is Reactive, Corrosive, Toxic or Ignitable.
- Management of waste such as as-Segregation, Handling, Containment, Labeling and Storage
- Transportation
- Treatment, destruction, and disposal through Incineration, Landfill or recycling.
Types of Hazardous waste bags
Hazardous waste may be from any specific source such as, wastes from Industries, based on which Environmental Protection Agency has listed into-F, K, P & U. F-List includes hazardous waste from manufacturing Industries, K-List includes hazardous waste from specific Industries, U &F-List includes wastes from commercial chemical products. Apart from Industries, wastes from other sources may also be hazardous if they meet at least one of the characteristics of hazardous waste. The hazardous waste may be a contaminant, a sharp, a solid or a Liquid, based on which the Hazard waste bag is selected. If at all the Hazardous waste is a contaminant then Blue colored Hazardous waste bag has opted. For Pharmaceutical hazardous waste yellow and Black colored Bags are used Black for hazardous waste containing Sharps, Yellow for hazardous commercial chemical products. All these Hazardous waste Bags have specifications along with the print to warn as HAZARDOUS WASTE.
CHEMICAL WASTE BAGS
The leftover chemicals in the laboratories or dispensers containing chemicals which are of no use but may be incompatible, inflammable and toxic in nature, such chemicals are considered as chemical wastes. Chemical wastes are hazardous in nature. Segregation of such Chemical wastes for Disposal should meet the requirement such as Packaging, Labeling, and Storage.
CHEMICAL PACKAGING
Packing such chemical wastes, in the containers or bags that are compatible with the chemical waste are called Chemical waste bags. Chemical waste bags are selected based on the property of hazardous chemical waste such as Toxicity (T), Reactivity(R), Ignitability (I), Corrosivity(C). Therefore, The Chemical packaging will be in accordance with standard practice to ensure safe delivery to destination and are referred to as the secondary containment.
BIOHAZARD WASTE DISPOSAL GUIDELINES
Biohazard waste is the wastes containing biological agents such as microorganisms generated either in Pathological Laboratories, Research Labs or in Patients infected tissues. These Biohazard waste are of 4 types namely-
Sharps: which include things like needles; saw blades, slides that are sharp enough to puncture the skin.
Solid Biohazard waste: Which include specimen materials such as body tissues of human or animals.
Liquid Biohazard waste: Which includes Body fluids and blood.
Pathological Biohazard waste: Which includes removed human organs, tissues, and Body parts.
This Biohazard waste collection is attained only by following the Biohazard Waste Disposal Guidelines-
- Firstly Identify the Biohazard waste disposal, whether it is sharp, infectious or contaminated.
- Storing the Biohazard waste in the bags which are leak-proof and resistant to tear.
- Disposal of the Biohazard waste after treatment into a landfill or incinerated.
Proper disposal of Bio-hazardous wastes using LDPE Bags
These Biohazard waste are collected in LDPE bags, which are available in Opaque, Red and Yellow color with a diameter of 30 to 40 inches and with a Biohazard symbol.
HOW TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE PRODUCTS
- Biohazard wastes other than sharps should be segregated in opaque Biodisposable LDPE bags with a minimum thickness of 3 mils and a maximum of 6 mils.
- Biohazard waste such as infectious wastes should be segregated in red Biodisposable LDPE bags labeled as infectious and with the universal biohazard symbol
Biohazard waste such as chemotherapeutic wastes should be segregated in yellow Biodisposable LDPE bags labeled as chemotherapeutic waste and with the universal biohazard symbol
