From tongue depressors to surgical equipment, the medical industry produces a lot of waste. Even beyond hospitals, all sorts of medical facilities create medical waste, including doctors' and dentists' offices, nursing homes, clinics, and labs.

But where does it go? To avoid the spread of disease, medical and pharmaceutical waste is handled exclusively by medical waste services. These services disinfect waste at separate facilities, so it is safe to be transported to municipal landfills and waste-to-energy plants.

Medical waste removal services take steps to ensure the safety of both operators and the community at large. Let's take a look at the process in greater detail:

Step One: Lift & Load

Waste is delivered in all-weather steel enclosures, then lifted and loaded into the disinfection unit by an automated system. While some conventional methods of waste removal require operators to handle medical waste two or three times, the automated lift and load system drastically reduces the risk of exposure.

Step Two: Shredding

Inside the system, the waste is initially ground and moistened in a sophisticated shredder. This process decreases the volume of the waste and allows it to better absorb heat for even disinfection. It also grinds the waste into small particles, thus protecting patient privacy and preventing identity theft.

Step Three: Disinfection

Passing through a screw conveyer, the pharmaceutical waste is exposed to microwave technology, which disinfects waste without creating odors, noise, or dangerous emissions. In addition to protecting the environment, this odor- and noise-free technology allows medical waste management services to place their facilities in more convenient industrial locations. For this reason, medical waste plants are no longer as isolated as they once were, which can reduce shipping costs for the businesses that rely on them.

After the waste is heated by microwave technology, it is transferred outside the disinfection unit through a second screw conveyer. By this point, the volume of the waste has been reduced by as much as 80 percent! It's now clean enough to be handled like regular garbage, and can be taken to a landfill or waste-to-energy plant.

The Extra Mile

Now that you know how medical waste management works, you might be wondering — how does excellent waste management work?

Waste services that stand out from the crowd usually go the extra mile to ensure a safe, discreet disinfection process. For example, top services employ one-container waste management, eliminating the need for special boxes and bags. Some facilities even feature smart designs that regulate delivery truck traffic and prevent congestion in the area. During the process itself, good services combine an on-board microprocessor with multiple checkpoints to ensure complete disinfection.

If you're unsure of which medical waste disposal service to use, take a look at how the technology compares to industry standards. Is your service a leader or follower? Is the process HIPAA compliant? Is the system fully automated? These are all important questions to consider.