Before, personal protective equipment (PPE) is only worn to minimise exposure to hazards in a work environment. Workers usually used it to protect themselves from getting ill or injured from being in contact with chemicals, radiological, and other harmful elements that a workplace presented due to isolated incidents. But now, other threats, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have warranted the frequent use of PPEs.

If you own a medical facility, your staff members would need to use disposable PPEs, such as masks and gloves, more than they need to. This means that waste PPEs can quickly pile up, which can also become a health hazard. With that in mind, you should have a proper waste disposal system in place for these pieces of rubbish.

Now, such a system will not work efficiently without one essential component—waste bin for PPE.

In this article, let’s discuss the importance of proper PPE waste management and how to select the right PPE bins for your facility. 

  

Due to the current pandemic, the “gloves and masks” waste category has expanded significantly. This has led to worldwide concerns of possible virus transmission from the surfaces of these pieces of equipment.

For this reason, you should implement a proper used PPE disposal and management policy in your medical facility, specifically when it comes to waste storage and preparation for collection schedules. You can also partner with collectors for the appropriate transportation and treatment of these waste products.     

When selecting what type of waste bin for PPE for your facility, you must consider some important factors to make the right decision.

You should make sure that the rubbish bin is not too small that it fills up too quickly and not too large that it takes up space.

To determine the right size, know the exact number of staff members you have in your facility. This will give you a well-estimated number of gloves and masks every day.

The bin for PPE that you choose should be durable. Better yet, the material used in its construction should be eco-friendly.

Most rubbish bins on the market today are made of metal or plastic, and each comes with their own set of advantages. While metal bins are more durable, plastic bins are also more environmentally friendly, as they can be easily recycled. On a similar note, most metal bins look better than the plastic ones, but the latter is lighter to move from one place to another.

Weigh the pros and cons to come up with the best option for your facility.    

In terms of placement, waste bins fall into two categories: indoor and outdoor. In your case, where most of your workers are working inside wearing masks and gloves, indoor bins are the more convenient option.

However, this does not mean you do not need an outdoor bin. Your facility might also require a large one from which waste collectors pick up your accumulated waste.  

You might probably think that colour is not an essential factor when choosing a PPE mask bin, but it is!

You should always think about the aesthetics of your facility, so choose a bin with colours that match the existing theme of your building.

You can also look for additional features that make a bin more functional. For example, one with a liner cinch would keep the trash bag in place. This helps make your bin neat at all times. You can also have those with decals that can pinpoint waste categories, separating masks from gloves.  

With the COVID-19 pandemic still on-going (there is even a new fight against a new variant of the virus), it is still important to observe safety measures. Your facility’s staff members should never neglect to wear their gloves and masks while on the front line. Not only that, but you should ensure that these pieces of equipment are disposed of properly. With the tips mentioned above, you should be able to find the right waste bin for PPE for your facility.

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