Proper waste disposal and removal is a vital part of any medical facility. Biomedical waste must be properly disposed of in order for facilities to maintain regulatory compliance, and failure to do so can result in fines and legal action. Apart from the waste disposal practices in place at the medical facility, waste must be removed from the site and disposed of properly after it has been taken off site. So do medical facilities need to track their waste once it has been removed from the premises? Let's take a look at proper waste removal and regulations. How does waste need to be disposed of on site? Waste disposal is an essential part of all types of medical facilities, and a matter of public safety. Hazardous and biohazardous materials need to be properly disposed of to keep employees, patients, and the general public safe. Because this is such a major issue in medical facilities, many regulatory compliance standards are in place. Different types of waste have specific disposal specifications. Sharp's, for example, such as needles and scalpels, must be disposed of in a “sharps” container, that prevents puncture wounds and contamination. Likewise infectious waste must be properly labeled and disposed of to prevent the spread of infection. Each type of waste, whether it be infectious, biohazardous, sharps, or hazardous, has its own specific disposal process and if any steps are missed or skipped the facility will be held accountable. What happens to waste when it is taken off site? Similarly to waste procedures on site, each type of waste has specific protocol when being taken off site. Medical facilities that choose to dispose of their waste themselves are held responsible should something be improperly handled. In this case the facility must ensure the waste is properly labeled, transported and delivered to its destination to be destroyed. What are the benefits of a waste removal company? Because waste disposal is such a complex and important issue in the medical field waste removal companies can offer help and can bare some of the burden of those regulations and requirements. While a waste management company does not ensure that staff are following proper waste disposal practices on site, they can help inform and educate, while ensuring waste is disposed of properly once it leaves your facility. Waste disposal companies also give you peace of mind in knowing that the waste is being taken to the proper facility to be destroyed and/or decontaminated. For facilities that utilize a removal company, any waste tracking and recording that needs to happen is handled by the waste removal company. Waste removal is a big part of keeping medical facilities safe and within regulatory compliance. Compliance laws and regulations can be overwhelming and the consequences of not disposing of waste properly can be disastrous. If your facility is struggling with compliance laws and proper waste removal processes, contact us at BWS to discuss how we can serve you and help your facility run more smoothly.

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