Sirens blare, a code blue is announced, surgeons huddle around a surgical table, the hospital at full capacity. Stress is at an all-time high. The medical field is, if not the most important, one of the most pivotal fields in our society. Medical workers are there to ensure we are healthy, which is the most important thing a person could need. However, no matter how important the industry is, it has its own problems. There are no doubt that there are issues with the appreciation and treatment of medical workers, but there are also problems with waste in the industry, which is what we’ll be focusing on.
How is waste generated in the medical field?
Waste occurs in the medical field through MANY ways, and can be very detrimental to the environment. 15% of the waste generated by healthcare, as said by the World Health Organization, contains hazardous materials that are not so good for the environment, animals, and people in general.
An extremely important thing to consider, which really applies mostly in the medical field, is that waste can be infectious, as the World Health Organization says. That waste can contain pathogens or spread illnesses, and this can come into contact with water, which creates an even more devastating impact. WHO also states there is radioactive waste, likely coming from radioactive therapy for cancer-patients and such, sharps waste, like syringes or needles, and many more. The issue especially with sharps waste is that needles may not always be disposed of properly, leading to it unfortunately being reused, and having someone get infected. There’s also such a thing as pathological waste, which is anything that is derived from a living person or animal (think blood, tissue, etc) according to the World Health Organization. Much of this waste is toxic, which can be exposed to workers, and at times this waste goes into the landfills without being properly disposed of, making it awful for animals and the environment. If a person or animal picked up radioactive material without realizing it, they could very well have devastating effects, such as poisoning or cancer (World Health Organization).
Typically, incineration is a way to dispose of things without leaving a trace behind, which may seem good for medical wastage, but it’s not! Incineration, according to the World Health Organization, can release toxic fumes and other carcinogens depending on what is being burned.
What are some of the solutions to counteract this?
Is there really any way to counteract the environmental issues of such a complicated industry? In fact, there are many that hospitals can implement. A way that healthcare facilities can help curtail waste is by auditing. Auditing, as Daniel’s Health puts it, is a way to see what materials you are using and whether the amount you have is truly necessary. Using emails and online applications instead of paper to give patients information is also really helpful, cutting down on any paper wastage. Reusable waste containers are also really good, instead of using single-use plastic, like Daniels says.
Another healthcare facility-wide solution could be to devise a plan overseeing proper medical waste dispersal, so the chances of it potentially hurting someone are lowered, suggested by Global Trash Solutions. Separating different kinds of waste is also important, since chemotherapy medicine and typical medications should not be disposed of together. An especially important thing to do prior to this is to check state laws on medical disposal, as it can vary with different types of waste.
O f course, regardless of how much you try to reduce waste, it’s always going to be there. So to fix this, disposing of it properly is best – in landfills, regarding incineration, modern ones equipped with special gas cleaning supplies, according to the World Health Organization. Additionally, there are alternatives to incineration, such as “autoclaving, microwaving, steam treatment…” (World Health Organization) and more. These reduce emissions of those harmful gases that would typically come up during incineration.
What can we do to help?
You may not think that citizens that don’t work in the healthcare field have a part to play in this, but we do! Of course, direct change needs to be implemented in the workplace itself, but speaking up about this is the first step that leads to real change. Not many people tend to think about medical waste and its effects on the environment, but it is a very real and prevalent issue, especially with our growing population and the constant need for medical workers. Spreading the word, whether you are a non-healthcare worker or a healthcare worker, is extremely important – there’s strength in numbers! And if you are a healthcare worker, educate your workforce on these matters. Many ways of helping work, like speaking out, implementing new policies, using reusable material, and more. Every bit of help makes a difference in this, and will definitely impact the course of change in the medical field!