A good sign of environmental concern is being able to care for the environment and surroundings by learning how to dispose waste properly. When we talk of waste, we don’t just limit the concept to paper and other solid waste. In fact, there are many other forms that would depend on the type of industry and commercial businesses, and one of which is healthcare waste. It is a by-product of the healthcare industry such as hospitals and medical centres. Other sources would be from clinics, laboratories, mortuaries, and blood banks. Even pharmacies and dental clinics can be a source of the said waste.
What are examples of healthcare waste generated in these facilities? These can be divided into two: domestic waste and infectious (or hazardous) waste. Domestic waste would include paper, plastic packaging, food preparation, laundry, clinical waste and other forms that have no contact with patients. Infectious or hazardous waste would be those toxic wastes from chemicals, drugs or medicines, pathological waste such as blood and body parts, radioactive materials like x-rays, and sharps such as syringes.  When there is no proper waste management observed, individuals in the hospital or any healthcare facilities run the risk of becoming infected. So it would not just affect patients but also the medical staff, waste handling workers, those tasked in the laundry service, etc. For example, when syringes are not properly collected upon disposal, waste sorters may have higher probabilities of becoming infected, and that could be potentially dangerous.

Indirectly though, people outside the healthcare facility may also be affected with these waste. When hazardous healthcare wastes are dumped in landfill or disposed through incineration, these could contaminate the land and even cause pollution in the air, leading to illnesses caused by unhealthy environmental conditions.

Management of a medical or healthcare facility should make use of recycling services for certain solid wastes that can be recovered, such as paper and plastic packaging. They should also set up an integrated waste management system in their facilities to properly discard of hazardous waste. Waste sorters can classify or segregate the type of waste as to infectious or not before putting them away.
There are certain recycling practices that are unsafe and perilous. Reusing styropacks as food containers would not be very advisable. Also, reused syringes and needles without going through proper sterilisation is one of the leading causes of contagious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Expired drugs and other medicines when recovered are very harmful to public heath. Hospitals should leave these unsafe practices to professional waste management companies that provide recycling services for these wastes.

If the healthcare facility is not able to maintain a safe waste management practice, they can always count on professional service providers that render service from waste disposal to treatment and even offer recycling services for reusable wastes. A very reliable waste management company that has been in the field for 30 years now is WasteCare. Their services extend from collecting any form of waste to treatment and proper management. They collect hazardous waste, chemical, toxic, and radioactive waste, as well as those high risk wastes that are classified as infectious – and have treatment facilities to address this aspect.
Organisations in the healthcare industry should always maintain sanitation in their environment, especially with the kind of operations these healthcare companies are running. These businesses need to uphold cleanliness in their work places by following proper waste management. In choosing a hospital when in need of medical care, make sure to choose one that keeps an impressive sanitation record. One doesn’t have to wait to get sick or catch an illness to choose which hospital or medical centre to go to, but as early as now you should be able to do research what hospitals or healthcare centres can provide you with proper medical service as well as uphold and sustain correct environmental practices as to sanitation.