As healthcare organizations aim to be better environmental stewards, one avenue they can—and should—explore involves limiting the waste they send to landfills. This goes beyond merely recycling paper, glass, and aluminum cans—it requires organizations to carefully consider how they can reuse certain supplies to curb the amount they ultimately throw out. One such opportunity relates to medical waste receptacles.
When it comes to sharps management, for example, using a reusable sharps container allows organizations to provide a safer and environmentally-friendly solution that simultaneously protects staff from accidental needlesticks and minimizes the amount of plastic that enters a landfill.
With a focus on sustainability services that help organizations meet their environmental goals, Stericycle has the necessary expertise to advise our clients on the most appropriate containers and solutions. Through our Sharps Management Service, we provide reusable containers, pick them up when they are full and disinfect them in preparation for reuse. As a result of this program, in 2022, we helped our customers divert more than 45 million kilograms of plastics from landfills through the use of our reusable sharps and pharmaceutical containers rather than single-use containers.
Since sustainability is a top priority for us at Stericycle, we can also help you uncover additional ways to preserve the environment. For instance, we can work with you to develop a pharmaceutical waste management program that safely and securely disposes of dangerous drugs—keeping them out of the surrounding water supply. We can also ensure your medical waste program is compliant with municipal, provincial, and federal regulations, mitigating contamination risk and safeguarding staff, patients, and the community at large.
To learn more about Stericycle’s commitment to sustainability and how we can help your organization go green, check out our latest Corporate Social Responsibility Report.