Proper disposal of medical waste is a major concern for all healthcare facilities. Aside from the legal obligation that needs to be complied by the health-related institutions when it comes to proper waste disposal, the safety of its healthcare providers, staff and patients needs to be ensured by strictly following the medical waste disposal guidelines. Environmentalists have tackled numerous issues of improper disposal of medical waste that is being illegally dumped in hazardous places such as beaches or landfill sites. In response to this, the significance of medical waste disposal has been widely reiterated. So aside from complying with the stipulated rules and guidelines, here are some suggestions on how you can save on your medical waste disposal.

Have you ever wondered if you are overspending on the disposal of your medical waste? Some of the factors may be related to the frequency of pick-up of wastes. You may choose to have your wastes picked up in a lesser frequency by consolidating your wastes first, before requesting it to be picked up rather than having the services drop by frequently at your facility while picking up a trivial amount of disposed wastes.

Another important factor to look into is the practice of classifying your wastes properly. Do you often classify your medical wastes as biohazard without verifying first if it is indeed under this classification? You must bear in mind that biohazard waste costs more to process its disposal than that of regular waste. So in order to save on your costs, always practice proper classification of medical wastes. Proactively promote awareness when it comes to proper segregation of wastes, such as separating of solid wastes from biohazard wastes and placing them on proper containers.

Make sure that your staff and healthcare personnel are trained in identifying what kind of wastes they are about to dispose. Sharps should be secured in a puncture-resistant sharp container before disposal. Bio hazardous waste which is those contaminated with blood or body fluids should always be separated from regular waste. Trace chemotherapy waste which are materials used in preparation of chemotherapy drugs should be handled properly since they may include radioactive substances and should be segregated as well. And lastly, for pharmaceutical wastes which include damaged or contaminated medications, remember that this type of waste need to be disposed in a different method in order to avoid fines.

It is also important to take note that the company you choose in catering to your medical waste pick-up should have appropriate insurance coverage which will serve as your protection in case something wrong happens while transporting or disposing your medical wastes. Also, own a “have more for less” mantra in choosing your services. You may choose bundle services which will surely give you more savings by combining different services at a discounted price.

Lastly, remember to evaluate your vendor properly and make sure you review the company’s credentials and customer reviews before signing a contract with them. You don’t want to get regret hiring the wrong company that seems to offer a smaller price but will not be able to give you the services that you need.

So there you go, keep these important factors in mind on how to save on your medical waste disposal and start counting your cost savings in the days to come.

medical waste disposal infographic

How to Save on Medical Waste Disposal – An infographic by the team at MedPro Waste Disposal