| From tongue depressors to surgical equipment, the | | | | protecting the environment, this odor- and noise-free |
| medical industry produces a lot of waste. Even | | | | technology allows medical waste management |
| beyond hospitals, all sorts of medical facilities create | | | | services to place their facilities in more convenient |
| medical waste, including doctors' and dentists' offices, | | | | industrial locations. For this reason, medical waste |
| nursing homes, clinics, and labs. | | | | plants are no longer as isolated as they once were, |
| But where does it go? To avoid the spread of | | | | which can reduce shipping costs for the businesses |
| disease, medical and pharmaceutical waste is handled | | | | that rely on them. |
| exclusively by medical waste services. These services | | | | After the waste is heated by microwave technology, |
| disinfect waste at separate facilities, so it is safe to | | | | it is transferred outside the disinfection unit through a |
| be transported to municipal landfills and | | | | second screw conveyer. By this point, the volume of |
| waste-to-energy plants. | | | | the waste has been reduced by as much as 80 |
| Medical waste removal services take steps to ensure | | | | percent! It's now clean enough to be handled like |
| the safety of both operators and the community at | | | | regular garbage, and can be taken to a landfill or |
| large. Let's take a look at the process in greater | | | | waste-to-energy plant. |
| detail: | | | | The Extra Mile |
| Step One: Lift & Load | | | | Now that you know how medical waste |
| Waste is delivered in all-weather steel enclosures, | | | | management works, you might be wondering — |
| then lifted and loaded into the disinfection unit by an | | | | how does excellent waste management work? |
| automated system. While some conventional | | | | Waste services that stand out from the crowd |
| methods of waste removal require operators to | | | | usually go the extra mile to ensure a safe, discreet |
| handle medical waste two or three times, the | | | | disinfection process. For example, top services |
| automated lift and load system drastically reduces | | | | employ one-container waste management, eliminating |
| the risk of exposure. | | | | the need for special boxes and bags. Some facilities |
| Step Two: Shredding | | | | even feature smart designs that regulate delivery |
| Inside the system, the waste is initially ground and | | | | truck traffic and prevent congestion in the area. |
| moistened in a sophisticated shredder. This process | | | | During the process itself, good services combine an |
| decreases the volume of the waste and allows it to | | | | on-board microprocessor with multiple checkpoints to |
| better absorb heat for even disinfection. It also | | | | ensure complete disinfection. |
| grinds the waste into small particles, thus protecting | | | | If you're unsure of which medical waste disposal |
| patient privacy and preventing identity theft. | | | | service to use, take a look at how the technology |
| Step Three: Disinfection | | | | compares to industry standards. Is your service a |
| Passing through a screw conveyer, the | | | | leader or follower? Is the process HIPAA compliant? |
| pharmaceutical waste is exposed to microwave | | | | Is the system fully automated? These are all |
| technology, which disinfects waste without creating | | | | important questions to consider. |
| odors, noise, or dangerous emissions. In addition to | | | | |