Proper medical waste management, including segregating medical waste and using proper containers, is vital for creating a safe care environment.
It’s important that waste generators correctly identify the waste generated and properly segregate it, so that it is managed in line with applicable regulatory requirements. Medical waste is regulated at the federal, state, and local levels, which can contribute to confusion among healthcare providers. In some cases, healthcare workers may have to quickly decide where to put waste. If they don’t fully understand the regulations and their facility’s policies, they can make a mistake that may not only be costly to the organization but may also create safety risks for the facility and its vendors.
Healthcare facilities can properly manage their waste in various ways, but a key aspect to have in place is a waste management plan outlining how a business will segregate and manage its various waste types. The benefits of this program include:
• Personnel Safety: Medical waste segregation into appropriate containers is crucial for helping to promote safe work environments for frontline healthcare workers, as it helps reduce the risk of injury or exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• Regulatory Compliance: Applicable state or local laws often require medical waste segregation – both segregating medical waste from other non-infectious waste and segregating certain types of medical waste (like pathological waste or sharps waste) from each other. Establishing and training staff on a medical waste segregation program can help healthcare organizations avoid enforcement or other legal action. Waste segregation can be challenging, but partnering with a knowledgeable waste management provider can help you establish an appropriate process.
• Comply with Disposal Vendor’s Waste Acceptance Policies: Waste Acceptance Policies (WAPs) are a waste vendor’s requirements outlining what it will and will not accept, and under what conditions. Healthcare facilities need to ensure that WAPs from all of their waste vendors are shared with those within the organization that are responsible for waste management. Read more >
Stericycle is the industry leader in regulated medical waste disposal. They provide solutions for safe, eco-conscious and compliant management of sharps, hazardous and non-hazardous pharmaceuticals, as well as disposal of controlled substance waste to mitigate drug diversion. Additionally, Stericycle’s award-winning drug takeback solutions include Kiosks and Seal&Send® envelopes that allow healthcare organizations to provide consumers with safe disposal of unused medications.
This post is related to:
Returns, Reverse Distribution
