Whether you’re new to managing a medical waste disposal pickup or need to review the best practices, we’ve got you covered. This article will review how to prepare for your medical waste pickup and guide you through making the process run as smoothly as possible.
Hire a Reputable Medical Waste Disposal Company
All facilities that generate medical waste must coordinate pickup and transportation of their hazardous and biohazardous waste with a reputable medical waste disposal company. The company you choose must understand local, state, and federal laws regarding medical waste and prioritize compliance. If they fail to do so, regulatory agencies may hold YOU liable for their mistakes.
If you’re unsure how to vet a medical waste disposal company, check out this resource.
What Will Your Medical Waste Disposal Company Transport?
It’s imperative that you understand exactly what your medical waste disposal company will transport. Refuse, such as non-hazardous recycling, food waste, and general trash, is not typically transported by these companies. Always store these materials separately and schedule transport by general refuse companies.
Materials that your medical waste disposal transporter will pick up include:
- Biohazard waste, such as infectious waste, blood products, contaminated PPE, and IV tubing
- Sharps waste, such as needles, scalpels, broken glass ampules, guide wires, and syringes
- Trace Chemo waste, such as empty vials, IV tubing, and PPE
- Pharmaceutical waste, such as pills and liquids
- Black box waste, such as hazardous medications and bulk chemo
Contact your medical waste disposal provider directly for a full list of what materials they are licensed to transport. Curious about where the materials go once they pick them up? Find the answers in our “Where Does Biohazard Waste Go After Pickup” reference.
Store Waste in Approved Containers
Storing your waste in appropriate containers ensures your compliance with biohazard waste management laws and guarantees the safety of your staff, medical waste transporters, and workers at the treatment facility.
Most waste must be stored in properly labeled, rigid, leak and puncture-resistant bins. Always cover the bins with a fitted lid and store them in a designated area secure from the public. Depending on the type, you can stow some waste in sturdy red or yellow biohazard waste bags, but this does not include any waste that may puncture the bag.
Another essential aspect to keep in mind is that you must never overfill biohazard bins and bags, as it can lead to spills and leaks. Never fill the container past the line if a fill line is present. If one is not visible, the maximum recommended fill is ¾ full.
Ensure Proper Waste Segregation and Storage
Always ensure that facility staff properly segregates waste. This is especially important because each waste type is treated according to regulations. Improperly segregated or labeled materials could be disposed of in ways that contaminate the environment and pose a health risk to the public.
If you’re unsure of how to properly segregate your waste, take some time to review these medical waste storage requirements.
Confirm Your Medical Waste Pickup Schedule
Your medical waste pickup schedule will vary depending on several factors, including:
- Type of waste generated
- Volume of waste generated
- Local and state regulations
- Medical waste disposal pickup availability
- Facility storage space
- Organizational budget and preference
If you haven’t already, take a moment to read through these strategies for optimizing your medical waste disposal schedule. There, you’ll find tips on determining your optimal frequency while staying compliant with applicable laws.
Before pickup, confirm the scheduled day and time, and prepare for possible variables such as weather, traffic delays, or facility staff shortages. Then, have your waste materials prepared and easily accessible to transport staff. Also, prior to their arrival, ensure that the facility staff know who is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the material pickup.
Prepare for Documentation and Manifest Processing
Most states, including California, require medical waste generators to maintain cradle-to-grave tracking standards for all biohazard waste. This means that you are responsible for the materials from the moment your facility generates them until technicians process them at the waste processing facility. To ensure that you maintain proper tracking of the materials, your medical waste disposal company should provide you with a physical or electronic form called a manifest. This document outlines:
- The name, address, telephone number, and registration number of the transporter.
- The type of medical waste transported and the quantity or aggregate weight of the medical waste transported.
- The name, address, and telephone number of the generator.
- The name, address, telephone number, permit number, and the signature of an authorized representative of the permitted facility receiving the medical waste.
- The date the medical waste is collected or removed from the generator’s facility.
- The date the medical waste is received by the transfer station, the registered large quantity generator, or the consolidation point, if applicable.
- The date that the medical waste is received by the treatment facility.
Always ensure that the transporter provides you with a manifest at pickup and that you maintain a copy of the document for a minimum of three years, as required by several regulatory agencies.
For more information on medical waste documentation and storage requirements, head over to Best Practices for Documenting Medical Waste Disposal: Ensuring Accountability and Compliance.
Avoid These Mistakes on Medical Waste Pickup Day
When the day comes to have your medical waste picked up, avoid these common mistakes that make the process difficult.
- Failing to prepare ahead of time for pickup
- Blocking access to the storage area
- Mixing waste types
- Improperly storing biohazard waste
- Improperly labeling biohazard waste
- Overfilling storage containers
With a bit of preparation and collaboration with a reputable medical waste disposal company, you can easily and quickly prepare for your medical waste pickup. If you have more questions or are just starting your medical waste disposal program, check out our bank of resources that’ll walk you through everything from hiring a medical waste disposal company to evaluating your ROI on medical waste disposal solutions.
We are MedWaste Management – California’s medical waste disposal experts!
Established in 2008, MedWaste Management fills a need for compliant and safe medical waste disposal in the healthcare industry and the general public alike. We publish this blog to share valuable and practical information to help you stay safe, informed, and healthy!
Call us with any questions or to start service at (866) 254-5105. We are always happy to help!
Check out our services and other great resources in the links below.
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Tammy McKinney, RN, is a healthcare writer and seasoned registered nurse. With experience in acute care, long-term care, rehabilitation, drug & alcohol, and hospice & palliative care, she combines her medical understanding with her love for writing to educate and inform the public on various health-related topics. You can contact her directly on LinkedIn!
