Kevin Noel

3 Reasons to be Cautious About Medical Waste Information

Don’t make the mistake of seeing what seems like good medical waste information online and acting on it. There are a variety of factors at play and while that advice could potentially be good in one state, it can be disastrous in another.

Medical Waste Information

Topics

Key Takeaways

Differing Medical Waste Regulations by State

Each state has its own set of regulations regarding the handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of medical waste. What is considered best practice in one state can actually result in fines in another. 

You might find some advice that applies to one state, when in reality you need to follow California’s medical waste requirements.

A few examples of things that vary from state to state include:

How long you can store the waste

The requirements of your accumulation storage area

Registration requirements

Document and tracking retention

Labeling differences

For example, North Carolina does not require cradle-to-grave tracking or sharps waste to be treated, but in California both of these could and likely would result in fines.

Safety and Environmental Friendliness

Biohazardous wastes have the potential to cause irreversible harm when mishandled. Biohazards contain bloodborne pathogens capable of transmitting serious and irreversible illnesses such as AIDS, Hepatitis B, and more.

As with anything that can have serious consequences, you should always be cautious of who is giving you that information as it could be misinformation.

Cost Implications

Medical waste violations can result in serious fines, costly injuries, and expensive medical waste disposal costs

Lack of medical waste compliance and injuries can be extremely costly for your facility, with fines exceeding $100,000 in many cases.

Where Should I Get Medical Waste Information?

When looking for medical waste information, you should refer to government guides for your state such as the California Medical Waste Management Act Document. You may also use trusted companies in your state. 

You might think you found a great resource, but if their information is not accurate and isn’t directly curated to your state's regulations, you could run into trouble.

If you are ever uncertain, it is best to act cautiously and contact a medical waste expert in your state for information.

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Eco Medical CEO

KEVIN NOEL

Sales Account Executive

Passionate about creating exposure around practical products and services. My goal is to aid California medical facilities in exploring a more local, affordable, and personable service for medical waste disposal.

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