Hospital mercury emissions

        In C. Orlovsky article “Hospitals Reduce Levels of Mercury, Waste,” she states that hospitals have tried with some healthy organizations to decrease medical mercury emissions that cause environmental pollution.  First, mercury and its emissions cause many problems for the environment and for the human. Some medical devices have the amount of mercury, and others emit a large amount of mercury emissions. However, she shows that hospitals with some environmental organizations have started to apply some plans that have contributed to decreasing the rate of mercury emissions and to decline the pollution that is produced by mercury radiation. And they have achieved advanced  reducing of the emissions of mercury in hospitals and medical health care facilities. Moreover, she explains that hospitals have worked together to stop mercury’s influence and to make the hospitals free from mercury. In conclusion, hospitals have worked to rid the environment of their mercury emissions and of medical mercury pollution.

         Health care facilities have become the cause of some environmental problems. One of these problems is medical mercury pollution. Moreover, there are different resources of medical mercury pollution in the environment, and one of biggest resources is the hospital. Medical waste incinerators, most medical equipment, and hospitals’ laboratories contribute to increasing the rate of the mercury problem in the environment.

          First of all, medical waste incinerators are considered the biggest sources of medical mercury emissions which cause the environmental pollution. Therefore, these incinerators emit a lot of mercury emissions into the atmosphere. Barbara Sibbald said “Many of the country's 120 hospital incinerators now burn PVC plastic, paper, batteries and discarded equipment, and this leads to emissions of dioxins, mercury and other toxins”. Also, most hospitals have started to stop using old hospital incinerators, and these hospitals have started to use modern incinerators. “The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment has recently proposed new incinerator emission standards that will reduce current dioxin and mercury emissions by 80%,” Erica Weir said. Finally, one of the main sources of mercury emission is an old hospital incinerator.

         Second, many medical devices and equipment which are used in health care facilities such as thermometers, sphygmomanometers, gastrointestinal tubes and so on contain an amount of mercury. Mercury may be released from these devices if there is a spill. Also, this equipment is considered very dangerous for the environment, especially if the hospitals throw it away or burn it. Renee Gryzkewicz said, “Breaking or improperly disposing of mercury-containing devices can release toxic fumes into the environment for years”. Indeed, all mercury-containing devices in the clinical areas have been replaced with mercury-free alternatives. “Development and implementation of plans to reduce the use of mercury equipment and replace it with alternatives, increase efforts to reduce the risk of unnecessary mercury equipment in hospitals and a ban of mercury-containing devices and promotion of alternatives”, according to “Health care agency urges gov't for non-use of mercury  . That contributes to reducing the mercury pollution in the environment. Finally, medical devices that contain mercury affect our environment.

         Finally, hospitals’ laboratories cause environmental mercury pollution where they contain some chemical substances that have mercury. Some of the chemicals may contain added mercury, and others may contain mercury as a contaminant in a feedstock. For example, these chemicals include Acetic acid, Chloride, Ethanol and so on. Thus, health care facilities must be correct in handling and disposal of mercury-containing laboratory. Erin Durkin says it is necessary “to move waste such as mercury and formaldehyde between hospitals and labs and out of state disposal facilities. Waste could be stored at the site for as long as 10 days”. In the end, many chemical substances that exist in laboratories contribute to increase mercury emission and medical pollution.

         In conclusion, all hospitals around the world cause an increase in the rate of mercury emissions in the environment. So, these hospitals use some devices that contain mercury, use incinerators that emit mercury emissions, and use chemical substances in their laboratories that contain mercury. Thus, hospitals should reduce using anything, which contributes to increasing medical mercury pollution in the environment. 

Reference:

Durkin, E. (2009, March 30). Sick over med waste plane. Canarsie station would be hazard, residents say. Daily News. p. 33. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.

 

 Gryzkewicz. R. (2004, December). Mercury, managed. Facilities News. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://www.facilitiesnet.com/healthcarefacilities/article/Mercury-Managed--2397

Health care agency urges gov't for non-use of mercury. (2008, August 20). Business World. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database. 

Orlovsky, C. (2005, Apr 15). Hospitals reduce levels of mercury, Waste. Nursing News. Retrieved May 28, 2009, from http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-news/Hospitals-Reduce-Levels-of-Mercury-Waste_25762.aspx. 

Sibbald, B. (2001, February 20). Crackdown on hospital incinerators coming soon. CMAJ Medical News. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/164/4/533-a. 

Weir, E. (2002, February 5). Hospitals and the environment. CMAJ Medical Practice Public Health. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://www.canadianmedicaljournal.ca/cgi/content/full/166/3/354.