Environmental Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Health - Essay Example Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). The definition of medical waste was effectively provided in the Medical Waste tracking Act of 1988 which aptly states its meaning as â€Å""any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals." This definition includes, but is not limited to: blood-soaked bandages; culture dishes and other glassware; discarded surgical gloves; discarded surgical instruments; discarded needles used to give shots or draw blood (e.g., medical sharps); cultures, stocks, swabs used to inoculate cultures; removed body organs (e.g., tonsils, appendices, limbs); and discarded lancets† (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012, p. 1). 2. Describe the factors that contribute to its toxicity. Information from the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that as much as 20% of medical wastes are classified as hazardous which â€Å" may be infectious, toxic or radioactive† (WHO, 2011). The factors that allegedly contribute to its toxicity include presence of micro-organisms, as well as preponderance of specifically identified drug-resistant micro-organisms. Likewise, disposing of these medical wastes improperly could pose indirect risks in terms of release of toxic pollutants. As emphasized, â€Å"incinerated materials containing chlorine can generate dioxins and furans2, which are human carcinogens and have been associated with a range of adverse health effects. Incineration of heavy metals or materials with high metal content (in particular lead, mercury and cadmium) can lead to the spread of toxic metals in the environment† (WHO, 2011, p. 1). 3. Name the environmental and occupational sources of exposure to it. The environmental and occupational sources of exposure to medical wastes include landfills, which â€Å"can contaminate drinking-water if they not properly constructed. Occupational risk s exist at disposal facilities that are not well designed, run, or maintained† (WHO, 2011, p. 1). Likewise, medical wastes which are not properly incinerated pose significant hazards. 4. How is it evaluated and treated? According to the Healthcare Environment Resource Center, medical wastes were previously monitored and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency; but currently, various states have allegedly taken control and governance. The different regulations that stipulate guidelines and monitor, evaluate and treat medical wastes include: the State Medical Waste Regulations, OSHA Regulations, the US EPA Regulations, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations (Healthcare Environment Resource Center, n.d.). 5. What action could you, the nurse, take to reduce exposure of yourself, your co-workers, patients, and the community? As a nurse, the action that must be taken to reduce exposure to medical wastes include adherence to safety procedures as prescr ibed by OSHA and infection control. Likewise, proper disposal in designated waste receptacles must be followed. In addition, the role of nurses in educating other health care practitioners on its hazard and possible effects, if contaminated, should be enforced as a firm advocate for promoting a safe and secure environment. 6. List at least three web sources about it. References Healthcare Enviro

Wagmatcook culture & hartige centre, Cape Breton,canada 866-295-2999 Research Paper

Wagmatcook culture & hartige centre, Cape Breton,canada 866-295-2999 - Research Paper Example This centre was opened in the year 2001 and is dedicated in reviving the Mi’kmaq culture. An ancient tools collections, A wigwam of real size, photos of the Mi’kmaq people while catching salmon, hunting for caribou, and making baskets portray the Wagmatcook Culture & Heritage Centre’s theme, which is, â€Å"The Way a Mi’kmaq Lives.† Wagmatcook Culture & Heritage Centre is home to a display and heritage exhibition of Mi’kmaq cultural artifacts. There are special activities in this great facility’s hall which include dancing, drumming, and storytelling which are done by the community’s elders. Tourists and visitors get a chance to sample the traditional Mi’kmaq foods including â€Å"four cent cake,† roasted venison, and eel stew which are offered at the Centre’s restaurant. Visitors can also shop for beadwork, baskets, Mi’kmaq regalia, quill-work, and original artwork and paintings. The Wagmatcook Cultu re & Heritage Centre opens daily, all year-round (Wagmatcook.com, 1). Cape Breton Island, where Wagmatcook Culture & Heritage aboriginal site is located, is in the Nova Scotia province of Canada. It is a 3,981  sq  mi (10,311  km2) island, which is 18.7% of Nova Scotia’s total area. Even though, the Strait of Canso physically separates it from the Nova Scotia peninsula, they are artificially connected by the Canso causeway for easy transport. Cape Breton’s landmass upwardly slopes from south to north, hence culminating in the Northern Cape islands. The first residents of the Cape Breton Island were the Maritime Archaic natives who are ancestors to the Mi'kmaq people who were the island’s inhabitants at the time of discovery by the Europeans (Wagmatcook.com, 1). The Wagmatcook people history dates back many centuries. The reservation was, however, not established officially until May 2nd, 1834 by Sir Peregrine Maitland. He has been referred as the gentleman who refused to accede to the Scottish settler’s wishes of removing the Native people from the West-Side Middle River’s mouth. The centre’s operation is part of the five year development strategy by the Wagmatcook Band Council. The Wagmatcook Culture & Heritage Centre’s future plans include featuring an interpretive village offering marine opportunities and outdoor activities and travelling exhibits (religious and medicinal themes). The Smithsonian Institute possesses some four thousand artifacts collected from the Wagmatcook First Nation community (Wagmatcook.com, 1). A tour inside the Wagmatcook Culture & Heritage Center entails visiting interpretive exhibits with available guides, and witnessing first-hand the Mi'kmaq people way of life over the past centuries. The centre offers craft shops where local artisans demonstrate their craftsmanship which has been passed over for generations. You can experience the Mi'kmaq culture through story-telling, drumm ing, and dancing. Traditional foods of the Mi'kmaq people are available at the Clean Wave Restaurant inside the museum. These include eel stew, stewed venison or roasted, rabbit, deer, moose, poached salmon, four-cent cake, lis'knikn, and bannock. There is a variety of souvenirs available for sale including; beadwork (bookmarkers, necklaces, etc.), baskets, earrings, bracelets