The Importance of Healthcare Waste Management During a Pandemic

COVID-19 has caused hospitals to become overrun as patients and health care workers to go through medical supplies and disposable personal protective equipment at a rapid rate. Governments are encouraged to treat this waste as urgent in order to minimise possible secondary impacts on the health of both the public and the environment.

What is healthcare waste?

Healthcare waste is the waste that has been generated by healthcare facilities, medical laboratories and biomedical research facilities. If this waste is not disposed of properly, it poses serious health hazards, as it can cause secondary disease transmission. Waste that is openly burnt or incinerated without adequate pollution control can expose those in the surrounding community to toxic contaminants. 

Which kind of medical waste is most risky?

Although between 75 and 90 percent of healthcare waste is non-risk, infectious waste can cause disease in susceptible hosts. That is why it is necessary for your business to find an effective waste management solution. 

How to treat waste from COVID-19

During this outbreak, medical and hazardous waste – such as infected masks, gloves and other protective equipment –  needs to be discarded correctly, or it will have detrimental effects on human health and the environment. As such, the safe handling and final disposal of this waste is a vital element in an effective emergency response.

Medical waste generated during the pandemic must be treated as hazardous waste and disposed of separately. This waste should also be separately stored and collected by specialist municipality or waste management operators. 

Clinical waste solutions

The team at Smarter Business have extensive experience of handling hazardous, clinical and offensive waste, so we will always ensure your environmental Duty of Care obligations are fulfilled. 

When you choose our clinical waste service, we provide you with suitable containers for your waste, including a ‘sharps’ bin. We collect and dispose of the waste on either a call-in basis or a pre-agreed schedule of service. 

The legalities and regulations surrounding clinical waste are in place to protect anyone working at or visiting the business premises, so it is vital that it is managed and disposed of correctly.

To find out more about how Smarter Business can assist with your business’s waste management needs, contact us today.