Discarded KCH Items Found Along U.S. 30
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By John DeGroff-
Jake Makinson recently found trash bags along U.S. 30 that contained medical waste and other items that came from Kosciusko Community Hospital. Makinson lives in the North Point Apartments complex and often walks along U.S. 30.
Makinson photographed several items found in a trash bag, a syringe package, a red bio hazard bag, gauze and rubber gloves. He also found a used I.V. drip.
"I've found all of this on the highway, going toward Biomet, just east of Biomet," he said. "The used I.V. drip was right after the river on U.S. 30. I found all of that within a half mile. I cleaned it all up. I'm not the only person who walks in this area."
According to Makinson, he also found rubber gloves near the board walk area close to the wetlands.
Makinson said his attempt to contact the proper authorities at KCH was unproductive. He tried to also interest a South Bend television station in the story, but they also declined. At that point, he contacted the Times-Union and presented his photos and information.
Originally, KCH was reluctant to comment, but did eventually make more than one phone call regarding the issue of how medical waste is handled.
The proper procedures for handling regulated medical waste does not come from set federal guidelines. Each state develops its own regulations, working through different agencies within each jurisdiction, and standards vary from state to state. The guidelines for treatment of infectious waste generated from a source such as a hospital, and other health care providers, is found in Indiana Code 16-14-16. Under the code, infectious waste is defined as "waste that epidemiological evidence indicates is capable of transmitting a dangerous communicable disease." The proper handling regulations for such waste also is found in the code.
Waste generated in a hospital, such as KCH, is placed in red bio hazard bags, tied in a single knot, then placed in storage bins in a secure, locked area not accessible to the public. The bins are all accounted for and properly labeled. When picked up by a disposal company contracted by the hospital, the bins themselves are secured to the truck. All bags and bins have the prominently displayed bio hazard label. The company that transports hazardous medical waste from KCH is Stericycle from Forest Park, Ill.
Once these trucks leave the hospital, national Department of Transportation regulations take affect. A truck can be stopped on the highway if any of the bins appear to be loose or open.
Once the transport contractors reach the disposal facility, a different set of regulations from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management take affect.
In regard to the items Makinson found, KCH has suggested that there was an obvious error in the handling of some waste, causing it to be mixed with regular non-hazardous waste, which in turn would be picked up by the general trash collection company of Waste Management.
"We've investigated and reviewed our internal and external policies," said Joy Lohse, marketing and public relations director for KCH. "We've surveyed our grounds, made sure that all bins are carefully sealed and secured in a locked area before leaving on a locked truck. We take our responsibility for safe waste disposal very seriously and contract with qualified vendors to assist with the disposal of regulated medical waste. Our trained staff follow a process to collect and seal waste where it is created within the hospital."
"Our concern is primarily safety," said KCH CEO Steve Miller. "We've thoroughly investigated our internal process. In this particular incident with Mr. Makinson, we don't know what happened."
During Makinson's initial meeting with KCH staff, he was asked to return what he found to the hospital. He declined to do so at that time. On Tuesday, at around 3 p.m., Warsaw Police Department officers showed up at his residence requesting all articles belonging to KCH.[[In-content Ad]]"They made it sound like I was going to jail if I didn't turn everything over to them," he said.
According to Lohse, KCH provided Makinson with an inventory of the items he found and that were retrieved by the police.
"It was all general waste," she said. "No hazardous waste was found in the bag. General waste of this kind is from the hospital and obviously did fall from a Waste Management truck.
"We're confident that Stericycle's process is working. Waste Management's process will be upgraded and they are reviewing all their procedures. We have sent a letter to Mr. Makinson thanking him for calling this to our attention."
Jake Makinson recently found trash bags along U.S. 30 that contained medical waste and other items that came from Kosciusko Community Hospital. Makinson lives in the North Point Apartments complex and often walks along U.S. 30.
Makinson photographed several items found in a trash bag, a syringe package, a red bio hazard bag, gauze and rubber gloves. He also found a used I.V. drip.
"I've found all of this on the highway, going toward Biomet, just east of Biomet," he said. "The used I.V. drip was right after the river on U.S. 30. I found all of that within a half mile. I cleaned it all up. I'm not the only person who walks in this area."
According to Makinson, he also found rubber gloves near the board walk area close to the wetlands.
Makinson said his attempt to contact the proper authorities at KCH was unproductive. He tried to also interest a South Bend television station in the story, but they also declined. At that point, he contacted the Times-Union and presented his photos and information.
Originally, KCH was reluctant to comment, but did eventually make more than one phone call regarding the issue of how medical waste is handled.
The proper procedures for handling regulated medical waste does not come from set federal guidelines. Each state develops its own regulations, working through different agencies within each jurisdiction, and standards vary from state to state. The guidelines for treatment of infectious waste generated from a source such as a hospital, and other health care providers, is found in Indiana Code 16-14-16. Under the code, infectious waste is defined as "waste that epidemiological evidence indicates is capable of transmitting a dangerous communicable disease." The proper handling regulations for such waste also is found in the code.
Waste generated in a hospital, such as KCH, is placed in red bio hazard bags, tied in a single knot, then placed in storage bins in a secure, locked area not accessible to the public. The bins are all accounted for and properly labeled. When picked up by a disposal company contracted by the hospital, the bins themselves are secured to the truck. All bags and bins have the prominently displayed bio hazard label. The company that transports hazardous medical waste from KCH is Stericycle from Forest Park, Ill.
Once these trucks leave the hospital, national Department of Transportation regulations take affect. A truck can be stopped on the highway if any of the bins appear to be loose or open.
Once the transport contractors reach the disposal facility, a different set of regulations from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management take affect.
In regard to the items Makinson found, KCH has suggested that there was an obvious error in the handling of some waste, causing it to be mixed with regular non-hazardous waste, which in turn would be picked up by the general trash collection company of Waste Management.
"We've investigated and reviewed our internal and external policies," said Joy Lohse, marketing and public relations director for KCH. "We've surveyed our grounds, made sure that all bins are carefully sealed and secured in a locked area before leaving on a locked truck. We take our responsibility for safe waste disposal very seriously and contract with qualified vendors to assist with the disposal of regulated medical waste. Our trained staff follow a process to collect and seal waste where it is created within the hospital."
"Our concern is primarily safety," said KCH CEO Steve Miller. "We've thoroughly investigated our internal process. In this particular incident with Mr. Makinson, we don't know what happened."
During Makinson's initial meeting with KCH staff, he was asked to return what he found to the hospital. He declined to do so at that time. On Tuesday, at around 3 p.m., Warsaw Police Department officers showed up at his residence requesting all articles belonging to KCH.[[In-content Ad]]"They made it sound like I was going to jail if I didn't turn everything over to them," he said.
According to Lohse, KCH provided Makinson with an inventory of the items he found and that were retrieved by the police.
"It was all general waste," she said. "No hazardous waste was found in the bag. General waste of this kind is from the hospital and obviously did fall from a Waste Management truck.
"We're confident that Stericycle's process is working. Waste Management's process will be upgraded and they are reviewing all their procedures. We have sent a letter to Mr. Makinson thanking him for calling this to our attention."
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