Lexington city officials say medical waste is becoming an increasing concern at the government’s recycling center. The city is concerned about the safety of center employees who find the waste among recyclables.
The city says the medical waste can result in other material being sent to the landfill, much of which could have been recycled. The dangerous waste items such as needles, dialysis bags and tubes, IV bags and tubes, and vials are biohazards that pose a threat to employees who play a key role in the sorting process.
Workers have been stuck with needles which require medical treatment. The dialysis and IV tubes wrap around moving parts of the machinery. A medical waste incident can stop work at the recycling center for several hours. This waste should be placed with biohazard or landfill-bound waste.?
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