Disposal of hazardous and bio-hazardous waste is an expense that can rapidly add up, significantly reducing your company’s bottom line. A common misconception is that since the service is heavily regulated and required by federal, state, and local governments, there’s not much you can do to reduce costs. This fallacy leads to continued waste within the refuse department and contributes to the $760 billion to $935 billion annual cost of medical waste in the United States. To assist you in reducing your waste, we’ve compiled this list of Cost-Effective Medical Waste Management Solutions.
Cost-Effective Medical Waste Solutions
There are various routes you can take to reduce the cost of your organization’s medical waste management. Let’s look at the top ways to decrease waste, streamline your disposal methods, and facilitate savings.
Reduce Waste Generation
The number one method of reducing your medical waste disposal cost is to reduce the amount of waste your organization generates. This saves you money on waste pickup, time spent managing waste, and resources lost by unused materials making their way to the refuse bin. Let’s take a look at a few strategies for reducing your waste volume.
- Standardized Procedures: Confirm that all staff understand and follow resource usage procedures appropriately. For example, Some staff may attempt to overstock carts or rooms to ensure that materials are always available on hand. However, carts and rooms should only be stocked with necessary items to ensure those materials are not disposed of if not used.
- Return or Reuse Medications: The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) endorses the return and reuse of medications as long as you maintain the drug in a closed system to ensure its integrity. Depending on your facility, this could include an internal system for reusing the medication or a partnership with a drug takeback program to prevent the drug from landing in the waste system.
- Utilize Pre-Filled Syringes: Pre-filled syringes generate less waste, are created using more sustainable practices, and reduce medication errors. Where possible, order medications in these easy-to-use packages.
- Utilize Reusable Sharps Containers: These puncture-resistant waste containment systems are easy to empty and clean, reducing the need to dispose of the entire box.
- Opt for Reusable Instruments: Where possible, opt for the utilization of reusable instruments, decreasing the disposal of their single-use counterparts. This may require the development of additional sanitation practices. However, the investment will pay off in the long term.
Streamline Your Segregation Practices
The amount of hazardous waste generated by your facility is probably less than you think. A common contributor to medical waste disposal costs is the mishandling of regular refuse. Often, improperly trained staff dispose of regular refuse in the biohazard bins in patient rooms and treatment areas. Making a few simple changes can drastically reduce the volume of waste in your biohazard bins.
- Color-Coded Waste Bins: Utilize a standardized system of color-coded waste bins, making it easy for staff to quickly identify the correct container for their waste. While these colors are not standardized across all healthcare systems, RED commonly represents biohazard waste, YELLOW denotes hazardous and chemotherapy waste, and BLACK symbolizes pharmaceutical waste. You can choose whatever color scheme you’d prefer, but keep it the same for the entire facility. Remember to also include signage on the bin in addition to the color coding.
- Provide General & Recycling Bins: When distributing medical waste receptacles throughout the facility, provide a general refuse and recycling bin in close proximity. This allows staff to easily and quickly place their trash in the correct bin without having to seek out a receptacle.
Perform Regular Audits
If you’re not already performing regularly scheduled medical waste audits of your organization, you should be. Audits provide a clear picture of where your facility is generating waste, whether the waste stream is flowing properly, and where you can reduce generation or correct errors.
If you’re wondering how to conduct a medical waste compliance audit in your facility, we’ve got you covered! Our guide will walk you through the 10 Steps to a Successful Audit!
Ensure Proper Employee Training
Maintaining a compliant medical waste disposal program while reducing the volume of your waste requires the participation of all employees within your organization. Even the most efficient system for hazardous waste disposal will fall flat if your employees don’t know how to use it properly. Ensure compliance with your program and federal, state, and local ordinances by developing and implementing a practical medical waste compliance training for your staff.
Need help with training development? Our handy guide identifies the steps to developing a practical training program, key training topics, and more!
Choose an Affordable Medical Waste Disposal Company
An efficient and green medical waste disposal program within your organization will significantly reduce the type and amount of waste you generate. However, you still need to choose a cost-effective medical waste disposal company to handle your medical waste needs. When choosing your medical waste disposal partner, there are a few characteristics to look for.
- Price Transparency: Choose an organization that clearly publishes its pricing structure and is upfront about additional fees or charges. This act of transparency shows that the company is trustworthy and honest from the start.
- Contract-Free: Choose a company that does NOT require you to sign a medical waste disposal contract. A quality medical waste disposal company doesn’t need to lock you into a contract. Instead, they will provide a service agreement outlining their services and what you can expect from them.
- Shop Local: When possible, select a company that is local to your area. These providers are smaller operations that can provide a more customized experience. They’re also more familiar with the area and are more affordable due to lower transportation costs. If you’re in the Los Angeles, California area, check out MedWaste Management, a local company proudly serving its community.
If you implement these practices within your organization, you’ll enjoy a green, cost-efficient medical waste disposal program that benefits your bottom line and the environment.
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!
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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 view a snippet of her portfolio here or contact her directly on LinkedIn!
