Waste management is perhaps more important for hospitals than any other industry or institution. Hospitals produce vast amounts of waste and refuse from all manner of sources and not all of it can just be thrown into the rubbish bins.

There are two types of waste produced by hospitals and medical settings: clinical waste, which is produced by medical procedures, and standard refuse.

Clinical waste
Clinical waste is generated from surgical procedures and contains six different types of waste, the disposal of which is strictly controlled by legislation and procedures:

• Sharps: hypodermic needles, scalpels and other sharp metallic items that have to be disposed of in special sharps bins. These are sanitary bins that are clearly marked hazardous and are designed to prevent accidental insertion of hands or digits which could lead to infection and contamination.
• Infectious – waste that can cause the spread of infection. Bandages, suture and other items that has human detritus on it has to also be disposed in a sanitary bin – which also has to be clearly marked and disposed of following correct procedures.
• Pathological: these are body parts such as human tissue which is strictly controlled in its disposal. Traditional incineration was used but more and more frequently other less environmentally damaging methods are used.
• Pharmaceuticals: drugs and chemicals that are disposed off are also strictly controlled.
• Radioactive: less common but as equally controlled; radioactive waste is often generated by x-rays and radiotherapy procedures.

Hotel Bins often have to be fire retardant

General Refuse

Hospitals also produce vast quantities of general refuse and waste too. Generated from patients, visitors, staff, offices, kitchens etc. etc. And while there are no strict guidelines for this type of waste there are things to remember when it comes to dealing with refuse in hospitals.

Hygiene is often a major factor and nurses and doctors really don’t want to handle a bin to dispose of a piece of paper as it would force them to go through their vigorous hand washing procedures. For this reason many hospital bins are pedal operated which helps reduce the risk of cross contamination too.

Another consideration for hospital bins is safety and security. Fire retardant bins are a must on wards and corridors. If a fire starts in a hospital it could lead to catastrophic loss of life Equally in this day and age, see through hospital bins are used to prevent the hiding of suspect packages.

Whether you running a public building, private business or are part of the service sector you are responsible for the rubbish you accumulate and dispose of. For most people that is a case of simply throwing the waste in the outdoor bin until it is collected. However, health, hygiene and safety risks can occur in many locations where waste is stored outdoors.

From the rear of fast food takeaways to the outdoor bins at schools, hospitals and other public locations, it is vital that proper steps are taking to prevent accident, injury of health problems due to poor waste management.

Outdoor bins can cause the following issues:

• Fire
• Safety
• Smells
• Pests

But preventing and eliminating these problems is straightforward by following these steps:

Fire risk

Fire retardant bins are commonly used in hotels and hospitals, as a fire in an indoor bin could have catastrophic consequences. However, when combustible material, including paper, is being disposed of, fire retardant bins are often worth considering. If an outdoor bin does set alight there is a possibility it could affect neighbouring buildings.

Safety

Safety is important as outdoor bins can be very large receptacles. An outdoor bin, if full, it could cause serious injury if it toppled on somebody. People can also be prone to get inside large bins as a prank or to retrieve items, this too can lead to serious injury. Ensuring the bin is secure and unlikely to topple or be able to cause injury in other ways is important to prevent liability. Any waste that could be considered dangerous should be disposed of responsibly which may mean a specialist bin.

Smells

Outdoor bins need to be safe

A common problem with some outdoor bins, especially restaurant bins and those outside takeaways. Smells can attract pests, flies and be generally unpleasant for the local community. Bin deodorizers are available to reduce problems but regular emptying and a good fitting lid should reduce thee problems.

Pests

Different types of pests can cause different problems. Flies, cockroaches and rodents can invade buildings and force closures of food premises, whilst larger animals like foxes, raccoons and domestic pets will knock bins over and cause mess. Again, a secure fitting lid and sturdy outdoor bin will provide the solution.

Providing public litter bins and waste containers is not as simple a task as it may first appear. There is more to the humble outdoor and public bin than just being a receptacle for rubbish. And quite often, if when local authorities, hospitals or other public body gets their waste bin decisions wrong – it can be disastrous and expensive.

There is so much to think of when supplying public bins and there is more to it than just supplying somewhere for the public to throw their litter.

Size, quantity and location

highly important as too small a bin, not enough of them or the wrong locations will just ensure littering continues. Establish the footfall in the area; what type of businesses are in the location (such as fast food places) and how often the bins get empties to ensure you get the right size and quantity. And place them where they are clearly visible and easy to access – a bin outside a fast food restaurant should be outside, not across the road!

Smells

If there are food businesses around then you will need to ensure that there is appropriate external bins provided for customers. These will need lids as the smell of rotting food is not only unpleasant it will attract vermin.

Transparent bins prevent explosive devices from being hidden

Fire retardant and Bomb threats

Often a consideration in public buildings like hospitals. Litter can often a be a source of fire so fire retardant bins are important as lives could be at risk. Also in public areas bins and waste containers have been used by terrorists and many public areas in countries that suffer this sort of problem use transparent bins to prevent the hiding of explosives.

Vandalism

A public bin needs to be tough and secure enough that it can’t be tipped over by vandals otherwise it will constantly get kicked over, spewing litter across the public are – making the bin pointless.

Sanitary Bins

In places like hospitals or public washrooms appropriate sanitary bins need to be used to prevent spread of disease. Regular bins should never be used for things like ladies hygiene products or waste bandages.

One of the unforeseen challenges to any business, local authority, council, institute or contractor is equipping a new building or facility with refuse bins. Waste bins after all are a common-or-garden object, so how difficult can it be?

Well actually, choosing the wrong type of bin can have all sorts of repercussions in the smooth running of any building or institute. Ensuring you kit any building out with the right equipment is crucial and making sure you select the right bins is no different. Not only can litter and mess build-up if the right bins are not provided but all sort of other problems can occur – from vermin to potential fires.

Essentially there are four things to think about when supply bins for a building, facility or institute:

Type of Waste

The first thing to think about is the type of waste that is disposed of. This will go along way in helping you decide what type of rubbish or waste bin is required. If food waste is being disposed of a good kitchen bin with appropriate lid is essential and so is an external bin capable of repelling vermin and pests and also keeping smells at bay.

In most offices, the largest volume of waste is paper based. Whilst simple waste paper baskets are adequate inside the building, you will need to ensure any external bins are fire retardant in case the paper is accidentally or deliberately ignited.

Fire retardant bins should be considered if combustible materials like paper is discared in quantity

Size of Bin Required

The size of both internal and external bins relies on two points:

* The frequency of emptying

* The amount of waste discarded

Location of bins

Another aspect to get right is ensuring the bins are in the right place. If bins are in the wrong location littering and waste time can often occur. Think of the workforce and where they will be when they require a waste bin.

Volume required

Ensuring you have enough bins is also important as is choose the right bin for the location too – kitchen bins should be provided where food is served and in bathrooms some sort of sanitary bin will be required.

The bin plays a vital role in the care sector and other service industries. It is a crucial part in ensuring hygiene and plays a part in the fight against hospital acquired infections.

Care sector bins have to function under far more demanding circumstances that conventional rubbish receptacles. From the type of waste to the vast quantities of waste that can accumulate in the care or service industry means that when it comes to sourcing bins for the service or care sector, a lot of thought needs to go into it.

Firstly, the type of material that is discarded will influence the type of receptacle required. Any service industry or care work that involves infants will need somewhere to dispose of soiled nappies. Smells and risk of access from children means that large nappy bins have to have a good fitting lid.

Sanitary bins

Other types of sanitary bins are required in the care sector too. Geriatric care and medical procedures require bins to dispose of this material. Any sanitary bin has to store items that have the potential to cause infection so the quality of the bin can’t be a compromise.

Fire retardant bins are also a consideration in many buildings in the care and service sector. Any public bin at a hospital has to be fire retardant as the risks of a fire could be catastrophic so most hospital bins are fire retardant.

Finally, you must plan carefully remember the to assess how much waste is going to be disposed of and of what type. It is also crucial to know how often the bin will be emptied as this will have a large impact on the size required. Also think of the people that will be using the bins. Children need to be prevented from accessing hazardous material while any bins that re to be accessed by the aged or infirm needs to be easy to use.

Sourcing and buying good quality bins for the service sector isn’t necessarily difficult. Choose a vendor with experience and that can supply a large range of bins to ensure you are always supplied with they type you need.

Every year there are reportedly thousands of bin fires nationwide. They are not only a nuisance for the fire service who have to spend hundreds of man hours and resources putting them out, but they are also a danger to buildings and lives.

Often, if a bin is left close to a building the flames can catch – causing a disastrous fire. Lives can be lost and businesses closed down through wanton vandalism and arson. However, there are several things that can be done to eliminate the risk of bin fires and reduce the chance of it turning it an even more serious fire.

First of all, it is important to reduce the chance of somebody starting a fire. Many bin fires are started in residential wheelie bins that are left out overnight. If possible do not to put wheelie bins out until the morning of collection, this will reduce the chance somebody has to start a fire unnoticed.

Keep bins away from buildings. If a fire is started you can reduce the risk to the building from the fire. Also ensure the bin is not overfull. Cutting down the fuel will reduce the fires effectiveness and also it can prevent burning rubbish from spilling to the floor and causing the fire to spread that way.

Don’t leave boxes and other litter around the rubbish bins, if the bin is full, you need another or its time to buy a large external bin instead.

Avoid placing anything that is overtly flammable in the rubbish bin. If you have to dispose of cardboard and paper, try bundling it together tightly, it will be harder for any fire to catch that way.

You may want to consider fire retardant bins, particularly if are a business or local authority. Members of the public can become victims of bin fires and that can leave you facing serious claims, both financial and possibly criminal. Fire retardant bins are already used in hospitals and other places so it may be worth considering replacing the external bins with them.

Anyone wanting more information about bin fires and reducing their impact should contact their local fire service who will be happy to provide additional guidance.

We probably walk past dozens each day and not give them a second thought but the public waste bin is a crucial part of ensuring we are not wading down the high street knee-deep in discarded rubbish.

But unlike internal waste bins for our homes and offices, the public litter bin has to cope with higher demands and risks that are not a consideration external bins.

Public bins have to have a larger capacity than those we use in our homes. While we may have half-a-dozen people at home throwing rubbish and litter in it, a public waste bin will have hundreds and perhaps thousands.

They also have to be sturdy. Even the common-or-garden plastic dustbin or trash can would not last too long in a public environment. Many of the public waste receptacles are manufactured from tough polymers that are not only resistant to the rigours of the weather but can they are often fire proof, an important consideration with something that may sit on a high street amongst the general public

Sadly, bins in outdoor locations have to be resistant to vandals and thieves too. For this reason many are wall mounted of bolted to the floor. Some public bins even have a locking mechanism to prevent people from emptying the contents on the floor.

They also have to come in numerous designs for the types of locations they may be placed in and the types of waste they are likely to encounter. Hospital bins, wall mounted ashtrays, bins for schools, high streets, and parks all require different designs.

Outdoor bins need also to be plentiful. If there are not enough of them then littering will soon become a problem. Many people will use bins if they are there, but if not, they may be inclined to dispose of there rubbish on the pavement.

And the right location is just as important. Along busy while they may be unsightly, they still need to be placed along thoroughfares and be clearly visible. A litter bin tucked around the corner or hidden behind a building will be useless. They need to clearly visible and accessible otherwise they just won’t get used.

There has been much emphasis in the media over recent years about hospital hygiene and in particular the battle against hospital acquired infections. However, when it comes to the importance of hospital hygiene there is one device that is often overlooked and yet it is perhaps one of the most important tools in hospital hygiene – the hospital bin.

Hospital bins are vitally important as they house a lot of waste that can contain traces of bodily fluids such as blood and other waste that can be infected with microbes. Hospital bins are unlike other waste bins in that they also have to conform with the most stringent regulations.

Fire retardant bins for hospitals are often required in many areas as the health and safety of patients is crucial.

Fire retardant bins are often required in many areas as the health and safety of patients is crucial in medical environments. Fire retardant hospital bins are often sack Holders that are manufactured from high density polypropylene. Not only does this material retard fire but also it has anti-bacterial and anti-microbial qualities so will ensure the bin is not responsible for spreading of infections.

Many hospital bins have to be colour coded too for different areas and different waste such as yellow, orange, white and black. This is important to prevent any contaminated waste such as bandages from ending up on a conventional landfill.

There are other important aspects to hospital bins also. Whilst many bins around hospitals are simple sack holder bins they often have pedals (and even sensors) that prevent the need to handle the bin. This can be quite important as handling a bin, especially if it contains infectious waste, is not desirable to most people and can also lead to the spreading of infections.

Another important aspect to hospital bins is ensuring they are all of an adequate size. If a bin is filled before it is empty the there is often a temptation by people to dispose of the wrong item in the wrong bin, this can lead to medical waste ending up on conventional landfills or worse infectious material lingering on top of a full bin!

The hospital bin is a vital tool in ensuring that hospitals remain hygienic so it important for any hospital administrator that they have the right bins, that are the right size in the right areas.