In a normal year, 16 billion injections are administered around the world. That makes up for a lot of medical waste. Unfortunately, not all of the used syringes and needles end up in proper medical waste disposal facilities.
Imagine the increase in medical waste following over a year of COVID testing and vaccines. If you know how to dispose of medical waste, but find yourself overwhelmed following the roll-out of the COVID vaccine, you’re not alone.
Vaccinations and medical waste are nothing new to medical facilities, but this past year we’ve all faced many ups and downs. Many non-urgent procedures did not happen or were postponed but now things are ramping up again and millions of people are getting the vaccine.
Stick with us and we’ll lead you through information on the dramatic increase in medical waste due to COVID-19 and what is being done to take care of it properly.

Vaccine Packaging 
The packaging that the vaccine arrives in at your facility goes into regular medical waste. Some manufacturers have specific rules, however. The box that holds the vial trays and related packaging materials from the Pfizer vaccine needs to be returned to Pfizer to help them with their commitment to reusable resources.
Healthcare providers and waste management companies need to follow these protocols to remain compliant and should check with the manufacturers for additional instructions.

Syringes and Empty Vials 
Used syringes go into a disposable or reusable sharps container and get disposed of as regulated medical waste. They are either picked up or need to be mailed to a medical waste facility.
The Department of Defense recommends that you put empty vials in sharps containers also to help “mitigate potential diversion and illicit intent.” At this point, treat them as regulated medical waste just like the syringes.

Full or Partial Vials 
If you have full vials that have been compromised and cannot be administered or residual doses (partial vials), they need to be managed as regulated medical waste or non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste.

Additional Medical Waste
Besides the needles and the vials, additional medical waste includes gauze, gloves, cotton balls, bandages, masks, and other personal protective equipment.
These items don’t belong in a sharps container and can usually be disposed of as regular trash. In cases where they contain potentially infectious materials, they go in regulated medical waste containers.

Vaccinations and Medical Waste 
With the increase in COVID vaccinations and medical waste, make sure that you’re staying in compliance and properly disposing of vaccine-related waste to keep your healthcare workers safe.
We at MedSharps can offer you a comprehensive solution for the removal, treatment, and disposal of medical waste and biohazard waste. At MedSharps, we have licensed and certified employees that are trained to provide safe, sanitary, and efficient medical waste removal and disposal.
We also offer HIPPA compliant paper document shredding and e-waste destruction services. Contact us today.

Hospitals produce about 2 pounds of hazardous waste per bed, per day. And this only represents about 15% of the overall waste produced per bed. To inhibit the spread of disease and minimize the risk of infection, safe medical waste management is vitally important for any medical facility.

Working with a medical waste company is an excellent way to make sure this happens appropriately. While it can seem easy to pick one of the big names in the business and be done with it, that may not always be the best choice. Check out these 5 reasons why you should work with a local company instead.

Save Time

Don’t get us wrong, large, out-of-state companies are efficient. They have to be to run a working waste disposal business. However, there are a few areas where they can’t compare.

For example, if you have an emergency with your waste you’ll first spend time on hold trying to get to the right person to handle your problem. Then, a lot of time may go by before they can mobilize and present a solution. A local company, while still having to run through the same logistics, won’t be constrained by distance and can offer a faster solution.

Save Money

While the cost isn’t necessarily your highest priority, it’s a big benefit to look for the cheapest medical waste disposal companies. These are often your local companies rather than working with a big, out-of-state one.

Transportation costs can push up the cost of waste disposal significantly. While a large company may be able to offer bulk discounts, the savings may be mitigated by how far they have to transfer the waste.

Support the Local Community

Working with any local business helps to grow the economy of your area, creates jobs, and strengthens your community. A smaller, local company will take greater pride in providing exceptional service to your medical facility.

You can also take pride in the fact that you work with a local company. Your community will see this as a way that you are trying to be responsible, both with the environment and with serving the community and keeping it clean and safe.

Compliance with Local Rules

State regulations surrounding the proper handling and disposal of medical waste vary. Local medical waste management companies are fully versed in your area’s rules so you can rest-assured that you are in compliance.

Convenience

Local medical waste pickup companies tend to be the most convenient. Being located closer makes the logistics easier for them. While an out-of-state company can have things down to a science, they are more vulnerable to traffic problems or other unforeseen circumstances.

A local company is less likely to run into logistics problems. Plus, if you need an extra pickup, it’s a simple phone call away.

Safe, Secure Medical Waste Management

Proper medical waste management has always been vitally important. Disposing of needles, blood, and other contaminated waste must be handled properly or your community can suffer.

Medical waste companies are held to a high standard and we seek to exceed it and provide the best service to our customers. Looking for a new company? Contact us today to learn about our highly efficient disposal programs.