7 2
O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4
a higher cost, both to your facility and the environment — but with
the advantage that the fluid will be less likely to splash and infect a
staff member.
The major cost to consider is the
price to dispose of the fluid in regu-
lated medical waste. A typical 3-liter
canister, when filled, could weigh as
much as 8 pounds. Regulated med-
ical waste costs on average 28 cents
per pound to dispose of, so switch-
ing to this option will likely increase
your red bag costs. According to
Practice Greenhealth, solidifiers
usually cost between $5 and $30 per
case, so for a facility performing
7,000 surgeries per year, the use of solidifiers could be equivalent to
$35,280 in red bag waste charges and another $105,000 for additional
supply costs for the solidifiers.
Some solidifiers contain chemicals that are meant to disinfect the
gel so you can throw it away as normal solid waste. However, state
laws vary whether this is acceptable, and these solidifiers often con-
tain chemicals that have been linked to such negative health effects as
respiratory problems and eye and throat irritation.
While the risk is lessened using solidifiers, it's not completely eradi-
cated. Surgical staff usually must still open the container to pour in
the powder to the fluid waste, which risks the fluid splashing. Some
solidifiers aim to remove this risk by letting you pour them into the
canisters before the procedure. There is also the risk that canisters
could drop or break during transport, or leak if not properly solidified.
At my facility, we will likely continue to use solidifiers for cases that
W A S T E D I S P O S A L
