| Waste consulting can be a valuable service to | | | | reasonable cost. |
| hospitals in today's society. Hospitals are now more | | | | Hospitals also generate a lot of solid waste in addition |
| vital to society than ever before. We have newer, | | | | to the hazardous waste. Solid waste is another area |
| better technologies helping to keep people healthy | | | | in which many hospitals lose money without ever |
| and to save their lives. As a result, there are over | | | | knowing it. Hospitals engage the services of a waste |
| 6,000 hospitals registered with the American Hospital | | | | removal company and overpay for their services, |
| Association in the United States! These hospitals do | | | | when really, they may not even need the amount of |
| more than just keep patients healthy. They also | | | | service they are receiving. Waste consultants |
| produce extremely large quantities of hazardous | | | | conduct extensive surveys with those on the hospital |
| materials. These hazardous materials include surgery | | | | staff responsible for the maintenance and care of |
| remnants, chemicals, bodily tissues and other highly | | | | the hospital and grounds to determine the amount of |
| toxic materials. The EPA has established guidelines for | | | | solid waste generated, and the type. Sometimes |
| the treatment and removal of these hazardous | | | | hospitals can reduce the amount of solid waste they |
| materials and most individual states also have their | | | | produce simply by beginning a recycling program. |
| own strict rules concerning the disposal of these | | | | When materials such as cardboard, paper, and plastics |
| materials. Consultants can help hospitals reduce the | | | | are recycled instead of thrown away, hospitals not |
| amount of hazardous waste they produce, and | | | | only help out the environment but also save on their |
| reduce the high costs of properly disposing of their | | | | waste costs. Some companies will even take away |
| hazardous wastes. | | | | the recycling for free, or provide rebates for the |
| Consultants are familiar with national and state laws | | | | recycled materials. One of the many services that |
| regarding the handling, packaging, and disposal of | | | | waste consultants provide is to find the best deal for |
| hazardous waste. The rules regarding the proper | | | | their hospital by re-evaluating what they already have |
| treatment of bio hazardous waste vary from county | | | | in place and then deciding what changes can be made |
| to federal and from year to year. Keeping up with | | | | to help the hospital control their operating costs. |
| the newest regulations can be difficult for a busy | | | | Hospitals tend to generate a lot of universal waste. |
| hospital staff. Waste consultants have the resources | | | | Universal waste includes items like fluorescent bulbs, |
| and time to keep up with these regulations and can | | | | batteries, electronics, and thermometers. These |
| help hospitals change their bio hazardous program to | | | | items all contain hazardous elements that are harmful |
| keep up with the changing regulations and avoid | | | | to the public and the environment in large quantities. |
| environmental health issues and costly fines. Hospitals | | | | Hospitals sometimes pay excessive amounts of |
| have many inspections to ensure the safety of the | | | | money to have these items properly disposed of and |
| patients, staff and public. | | | | removed. Waste consultants know that while these |
| Unscrupulous bio-hazardous waste disposal companies | | | | hazardous items can be expensive to remove, in |
| can sometimes charge extravagant amounts of | | | | most cases, they are not especially expensive to |
| money for something that actually costs much | | | | have detoxified and disposed of. |
| less-thereby driving up the hospital's operating costs, | | | | Hospitals could only benefit from having a |
| and costing the healthcare industry much more than | | | | knowledgeable, experienced waste consultant |
| is necessary. Waste consultants can evaluate and | | | | working for them. They can help hospitals reduce the |
| analyze the volume and types of bio hazardous | | | | amount of wastes produced, keep them in |
| waste generated by hospitals. Consultants can | | | | compliance with state and federal laws, and keep |
| negotiate contracts with these companies that will | | | | down the high operating costs. |
| provide hazardous waste disposal service at a | | | | |