FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/July 25, 1997 CONTACT: Sara Foer [202/651-7023]; Joan Meehan [202/651-7020] MEDIA ADVISORYANA Calls for Standardized Definition of Regulated Medical Waste, Less Emission of DioxinWASHINGTON, DC --At its 67th House of Delegates meeting in Washington, DC, in June, the American Nurses Association (ANA) voted to pursue a standardized definition of regulated medical waste as well as a reduction in the emission of dioxin. In its efforts to practice environmentally responsible health care, the ANA moved to endorse the regulated medical waste definition as developed by the Association of Operating Room Nurses. In concert with ANA's resolution and strong committment on this issue, ANA, in conjunction with Health Care Without Harm, met July 24 with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management and Budget to discuss regulations surrunding dioxin emission. The EPA will be publicizing a standard for medical waste incinerator emissions within the next month. Hospitals in the United States are responsible for more than 6,600 tons of waste each day, which equals approximately 1% of the waste generated in America. Regulated medical waste can be divided into six categories: 1) sharps; 2) cultures and stocks of infectious wastes; 3) animal waste; 4) selected isolation waste; 5) pathological waste; and 6) human blood, blood products, and body fluids. To protect the public, most medical waste is incinerated. This process nets the opposite effect, however, by releasing significant toxins into the atmosphere. Residing within two miles of medical waste incinerators are 5.6 million children. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, medical waste incinerators are a major contributor of environmental dioxin, a potent human carcinogen. "Some medical waste should be burned; however, the end result should not be illness as a by-product of providing health care," stated ANA President Beverly L. Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. In the health care setting, dioxin is released whenever medical waste is indiscriminately burned, such as in the case of plastic products containing PVC. Currently, there is no pollution control on two-thirds of all medical waste incinerators. In its resolution, the ANA is seeking dioxin emission levels of no more than 0.2 nanogram (ng); however, the desirable dioxin emission level would be less. "One of the most important responsibilities today's nurses have is managing the environment to promote positive life outcomes," said Malone of the ANA's decision to act on this issue. "Each nurse, health care worker, and American citizen must practice environmentally safe care in order to protect our future." "Not only will health care workers and the general public benefit from such standardization, but health care institutions also will save money," said Lynn Ann Dapice, MS, RN, Executive Director of the Vermont Nurses Association, who addressed this issue at the ANA House of Delegates. In order to accomplish such cost savings, health care facilities would need to segregate their waste appropriately to reduce the amount of regulated medical waste requiring special treatment. For example, the cost to incinerate regulated medical waste is anywhere from three to ten times greater than that to dispose of municipal waste. In addition, reducing the amount of material requiring incineration also decreases the amount of carcinogens released into the atmosphere. Some scientists have claimed that the dangerous levels of dioxin are currently 50% about what is considered safe or normal. In addition to dioxin, mercury -- a heavy metal that readily moves from a solid to liquid to a gaseous state -- also should be treated as hazardous waste. Up to 80% of inhaled mercury is absorbed in the bloodstream and can cause poisoning and respiratory difficulties. Just as the ANA and its state nurses associations (SNAs), especially Vermont, are committed to pursuing a standardized definition for regulated medical waste and decreasing the dioxin emission rate, the ANA and SNAs are dedicated to creating a mercury-free workplace. The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.6 million Registered Nurses through its 53 constituent associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the work place, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
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