Did you know you are responsible for your medical waste from the time it's generated, to the time it's picked up and transported, to the final disposal? In order to follow local, state, and federal regulations, your medical waste must be managed with proper care to keep everyone around you safe. Additionally, you must have well-documented transactions of your waste being transported for treatment by a permitted hauler and final disposal by an authorized facility. The rules and regulations are important in keeping you compliant and environmentally responsible.

Understanding your responsibilities and the role of your medical waste management partner will streamline your internal processes that help protect employees, patients, and others who are handling the special waste from potentially dangerous exposures or injuries.

How You Safely Manage Regulated Waste at Your Facility

Segregating Your Waste

First start by segregating the waste generated at your facility by waste type. Many regulated waste types require special designated containers most often identifiable by their color-coding system or symbols. Keeping the different waste types separate makes it simple for employees and staff to know which receptacles, bins, or containers are designated for potentially dangerous or infectious waste.

Packaging & Labelling Your Regulated Waste

Did you know one of the most common needlestick injuries caused within the workplace is because of improper packaging? It's important to train your staff on safe handling and packaging of medical waste. Most medical waste containers have packaging instructions printed directly on them. There are DOT requirements such as maximum weight limits to follow in order to keep you compliant and avoid additional fees.

Storing Your Regulated Waste

Now that you've packaged up your medical waste following packaging instructions, designate a safe storage area for it until it's picked up by your medical waste management partner. The packaged waste should be free from protruding items, leaks, or openings. Storage guidelines and time limits may vary from state to state. Always check your local regulations regarding medical waste storage for safety and compliance purposes.

What BWS "Cradle to Grave" Service Includes:

Now you're ready for pick up! This is where the role of your medical waste management partner comes in. Partnering with BWS, here's what the "Cradle to Grave" service includes:

Medical Waste Pick Up

Whether you are on a routine pick up schedule or "on-call", the next step after your waste is packaged and being stored properly, is the waste getting picked up. At BWS you can check the Client Portal for your next scheduled pick up. We also accept on-call pick up requests. There are many pick up frequency options to fit the needs of any size client. Pick up frequencies can be adjusted at any time without any penalty or fee.

Medical Waste Transport

Your medical waste management partner should have a government issued special waste hauler permit. This give you the confidence knowing your medical waste is being transported responsibly by a specialized company with well-trained staff, like BWS, that knows the in's and outs of medical waste transport DOT regulations.

Medical Waste Treatment & Disposal

After your medical waste has been safely transported, it arrives to our treatment and processing facility in Baltimore, MD. Here too, your partner will have a government issued permit for medical waste treatment that adheres to all local, state, and federal environmental protections. BWS treats the medical waste on-site using autoclave technology which sterilizes the waste so it's no longer infectious. Then it's ready for final, safe disposal at our Waste-to-Energy partner where the treated waste is incinerated, converting it into energy.

Documentation

As mentioned previously, it's important that you have all required documentation that can clearly demonstrates your responsible actions for disposing of medical waste generated at your facility. BWS provides all documentation of your medical waste disposal and can be retrieved online through our Client Portal. Disposal manifests are generally available on the Client Portal within days of your recent pick up so accessing your documentation is timely and without any major delays that can be caused by 3rd party handling. We safely store and retain customer manifests for the required retention period to ensure compliance.

Picking Your Compliance Partner

Here at Biomedical Waste Services, Inc. (BWS) we have over 45 years of experience collecting, transporting, and disposing of regulated medical waste and managing workplace compliance solutions for a variety of industries in the mid-Atlantic area, including Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. We've partnered with many healthcare facilities and other industry organizations to safely manage their medical waste keeping their workplaces safe and compliant to avoid large fines. Being one of the only specialized waste haulers and permitted treatment facilities in Maryland, our services help you manage the complete "Cradle to Grave" Medical Waste Management Cycle. Call or contact us today to partner with a reliable team that does it all.

NOTE: The steps outlined in this article are suggestions or recommendations and NOT intended to replace local, state, or federal agency guidelines. Always follow standard guidelines set forth by the CDC, OSHA, and other trusted agencies.

References:

BWS Cradle to Grave Medical Waste Management Cycle Resource Guide

https://bwaste.com/sites/default/files/2021-09/BWS_Cradle_to_Grave_Medical_Waste_Management_Cycle_Infographic_07.16.21.pdf

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