Hospitals around the world are doing everything in their power to protect the publicagainst the coronavirus pandemic. You’ve likely seen the calls for more personal protective equipment to deal with sudden shortages — essentials including masks, gloves, and gowns that keep patients and practitioners alike safe. While the usage of this equipment is absolutely necessary, it also comes with an unfortunate aftermath: a massive amount of medical waste and potentially hazardous material.
While hospitals are essential operations, they are also particularly wasteful ones.According to Practice Greenhealth, as much as 29 pounds of waste can be produced from each staffed bed in a hospital every single day. The organization estimates that there are more than five million tons of medical waste produced by hospitals in the United States each year. The total amount is likely much higher when one accounts for home care and other practices like veterinary clinics and pharmacies. At this stage, it’s unclear just how much additional medical waste will be produced across the US as a result of the coronavirus outbreak — disposal company Stericycle claims it has already recorded an increase — but if the experience of other nationsis any indication, it’s going to be a lot…
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