The amount of waste that hospitals generate is substantial. Of the total amount of waste generated, about 85 percent is a general, non-hazardous waste. The remaining 15 percent is hazardous materials. Proper Medical Waste Disposal Services can help you get rid of these dangerous wastes easily.Â
Those are some hefty numbers. But every hospital doesn’t need to fall into the status quo. There are four effective ways to minimize hospital waste and turn the facility into a more sustainable environment.
Install Hand Dryers
Everyone wants their doctors, nurses, and other members of the health-care profession to have clean hands. And you can bet that inside these facilities, they’re constantly washing their hands. But once they’re clean, they need to dry them. And most often, they resort to paper towels.
Yes, paper towels are recyclable, but constantly using them to dry hands is still wasteful. Consider installing hand dryers in every hospital room. Paper towels can still be an option, but the hand dryers will minimize the number of paper towels that go in the trash can.
Color Code Waste Separation
You may be able to find an alternative for paper towels, but there are some items you will still need to throw out. When it’s time to discard those, it’s best to do it in an organized manner. Use small medical waste containers inside patient rooms and make them accessible to staff only.
Separate red bag waste containers from solid waste containers. Color code these containers to ensure appropriate separation of waste. Also, make sure the waste management teams dump trash in the proper bins at the end of the day. Dumpsters play a pivotal role in hospitals, so ensuring that waste goes into the right receptacles is essential.
Stock Up on Reusable Items
Using reusable products in place of single-use ones can keep a lot of items from entering the landfill. So you need to stock up. Check to see if products are reusable before purchasing them.
Use washable items in patient rooms as an alternative to paper ones. A lot of hospitals fear that these items won’t go through proper sanitization. If that’s the case, make sure the gowns and linens you purchase are recyclable so that centers can transform them into something else useful.
Conduct Monthly Waste Audits
It’s not possible to improve and fix a problem without knowing where the problem lies. Every hospital and health-care facility should conduct monthly waste audits. At the end of each month, see which areas in the facility generated the most waste.
With these audits, you’ll get a full view of the problems and solutions. These periodic spot checks will allow everyone to see if they dispose of waste correctly and if they’re following the plan. Share the findings with everyone on staff so that everyone can continue to improve.
Effectively minimizing hospital waste can happen in four easy steps. You only need to make sure everyone is on board.
Read Also
- A Guide to Creating a Caring and Welcoming Space for Your Dental PatientsIf you are running a dental practice, you might be looking to make your patients feel as comfortable as possible, especially since there are many adults who fear the dentist just as much as they did when they were children. To ensure that everyone feels as if your practice is a safe and welcoming space,… Read more: A Guide to Creating a Caring and Welcoming Space for Your Dental Patients
- How Health Clinics Are Adopting Progressive Wellness PracticesIn recent years, health clinics have transformed their approach to patient care, incorporating progressive wellness practices to meet the diverse needs of today’s healthcare consumers. These practices go beyond traditional treatments, focusing on preventive care, integrative therapies, and personalized wellness strategies that support holistic health. By adopting forward-thinking wellness solutions, health clinics are setting new… Read more: How Health Clinics Are Adopting Progressive Wellness Practices
- Preventing Infections in Health Care Settings: Essential EquipmentInfections in healthcare settings pose a significant risk to patient safety, leading to prolonged hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and, in some cases, death. To combat this challenge, a multifaceted approach is required, emphasizing the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. Among the most critical components of these measures is the use of… Read more: Preventing Infections in Health Care Settings: Essential Equipment
- Empowering the Next Generation of Medical Professionals: Inside Tareen Dermatology’s Gap Year ProgramIn the world of healthcare, the journey to becoming a medical professional is often long, rigorous, and demanding. For pre-med and pre-physician assistant (pre-PA) students, the road is paved with academic challenges, clinical experiences, and the constant need to prove their commitment to the field. One way to gain a competitive edge and meaningful experience… Read more: Empowering the Next Generation of Medical Professionals: Inside Tareen Dermatology’s Gap Year Program
- The Future of Care: Why Global Healthcare Services Matter More Than EverThe growing demand for healthcare services addressing chronic conditions and complex ailments necessitates a paradigm shift. Moving away from a reactive, treatment-focused approach, global healthcare now emphasizes prevention. Regular health screenings, early diagnosis, and proactive lifestyle modifications have become crucial components, enhancing accessibility and ensuring better health outcomes for all. This paradigm shift calls for… Read more: The Future of Care: Why Global Healthcare Services Matter More Than Ever
- Navigating Compliance Challenges In HCP EngagementProactively addressing compliance challenges in HCP Engagement is imperative for life sciences companies in the U.S. Violations can result in severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and exclusion from federal healthcare programs. Compliance professionals must ensure that their contracting processes with healthcare professionals (HCPs) are both efficient and compliant with AKS. Authorities such as the U.S.… Read more: Navigating Compliance Challenges In HCP Engagement