A Closer Look at Medical Waste

Waste is a big part of the healthcare industry.  Whether it be regular trash or hazardous materials, healthcare facilities produce massive amounts of waste that must be processed with care. 

The healthcare industry generates between 2 – 5 million tons of waste each year, and around 15% of this waste is hazardous.  Certain types of medical waste are more regulated than others;  highly regulated waste includes sharps, biohazardous waste, isolation waste and contaminated animal waste. 

Medical facilities use specific materials and procedures for proper waste disposal.  For instance, healthcare facilities must have clearly-labelled disposal bins, documentation, storage requirements, relevant safety equipment and partnerships with medical waste disposal companies. 

The disposal process becomes more complicated in at home medical settings.  Medical waste generated in the home is much more difficult to regulate, leading to increased safety concerns.  In fact, roughly 95% of household sharps are not properly disposed of, meaning that close to 3 billion sharps are haphazardly tossed alongside general waste each year.  

Luckily, there are options that can address the challenges of home-generated medical waste.  Introducing prepaid mail-back envelopes for unused pharmaceuticals can cut down on pharmaceutical waste.  Similarly, distributing dedicated biohazard containers for sharps can make a big difference in promoting safe disposal. 

Staying on top of medical waste, whether produced by healthcare facilities or generated at home, helps keep the whole system running smoothly.  

Source: Amergy Disposal