How can you Help with Medical Waste Disposal?
During the last couple of years as a response to the pandemic, we have noticed medical waste becoming more visible than ever and the need to properly dispose of it is a growing concern. This increase in medical waste has also caused a greater strain on our environmental footprint and properly disposing of it can help protect the planet.
The harmful chemicals from medical waste are able to pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, and land we use for food. If any or all of those are contaminated, it could create health problems for those who are more vulnerable but it could affect healthy individuals as well. If medical waste isn’t properly disposed of, it can be a significant source of contamination.
What can you do to help keep you and your community safe? Here are some easy steps you can follow:
- Know your state laws. You need to be familiar with state regulations regarding medical waste, so you’ll know what is considered “regulated medical waste” (waste that contains blood, or other potentially infectious material) and what is not.
- Develop a formal waste plan. Your plan should include how to properly manage regulated medical waste. Obtain the containers you need to dispose of medical waste, read how properly to dispose of it, and inform others in your household how to effectively dispose of the medical waste.
- Remember: when handling the waste, be protected. Wear gloves and wash your hands before and after handling the waste. Place used disposable materials in plastic bags, and make sure the bags are securely closed.
- When possible, use reusable products in place of single-use products. For example, some sharps containers and some materials can be disinfected and reused.
- Color code containers to help ensure appropriate separation of wastes. For example, use red containers for “red bag waste” and yellow containers for chemotherapy waste.
Choose a Reliable Waste Disposal Company Today
Disposing of medical waste properly is a critical part of being a compliant, safe healthcare facility and you are also helping to protect the environment. Local laws and regulations determine how medical waste should be stored and disposed of and you need to be certain that you can identify the types of waste you have. Once you make that determination, it must be stored properly until it can be picked up and transported to a reliable and safe medical waste disposal facility.
Your next step is to find a reliable medical waste disposal company like AMS Med Waste LLC. We provide medical waste management services in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.
