A hospital room with equipment

Healthcare Waste Management, Everything You Should Know

Like all the other industries, healthcare also deals with a growing amount of waste. But unlike other trades that choose commercial waste management, healthcare is obliged by legislative authorities to adopt the most advanced commercial waste management solutions.

To understand why proper management of medical waste is important, we have put together this comprehensive guide. Learn about medical waste types, waste removal phases in healthcare facilities, and their importance.

What is Medical Waste?

Medical waste is any biohazardous, chemical, carcinogenic, pathological, or infectious waste produced by a medical facility. According to recent statistics, hospitals globally produce 0.5 kg of waste per bed every day. This huge amount of waste is not always disposed of properly, thus contributing to the spread of diseases across the globe.

Phases of Medical Waste Management

Medical waste removal and management are distributed into the following stages; each stage must be carried out diligently and by expert waste removal services.

  1. Collection: Proper collection protocols have to be implemented to gather the waste from a medical facility.
  2. Handling: Medical waste should be handled cautiously, and workers’ safety should be ensured.
  3. Segregation: Waste has to be segregated into the categories mentioned above.
  4. Transport: Medical waste removal services have special transportation to take the waste to disposal sites.
  5. Disposal: Out of the 16 billion syringes used globally, only a small number are properly disposed of. Waste disposal practices must be improved.

Why Commercial Waste Management is Important for Healthcare

Here are the reasons why commercial waste management in healthcare is important.

Better Patient Care

Medical facilities with sophisticated waste management solutions can offer better patient care and superior services. Patients trust hospitals that have the highest standards of hygiene, waste management, and customer service.

A smiling doctor and patient

Safety of the Staff

The World Health Organization reports that only 15 percent of medical waste is hazardous, and 85 percent is non-hazardous. However, it’s still important that adequate disposal of medical waste is ensured to maintain the safety of the hospital staff and workers.

Environmental Impact

Improper medical waste disposal can threaten the environment and result in the spread of infections, diseases, and carcinogenic toxins. As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, improper waste disposal became a grave concern for authorities in underdeveloped economies.

Compliance and Branding

Commercial waste management can help hospitals improve their compliance as they abide by the highest industry standards of excellence. Moreover, commercial waste management can also help a healthcare facility strengthen its branding.

Optimize Your Facility Management

Healthcare facilities that seek to optimize their facility management must hire commercial waste management services. At Facilities USA, we offer special disposal, commercial recycling, and waste management solutions tailored for the healthcare industry.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our commercial waste management, fire protection services, and full-service facilities management solutions. We serve clients across 30 different industries in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Coming Soon!