← All Posts


The Problem of Medical Waste

problem of medical waste


Medical waste is a complicated issue and one for which there are no easy answers. It’s not a small issue either- large hospitals can each generate up to a ton of waste every day.

The old mentality of waste disposal was “out of sight, out of mind”. Waste was buried in landfills, disposed of into waterways, or burnt at hospitals with little thought for the environment. We now know that burning medical waste causes harm because it gives off large quantities of dioxins, mercury and other dangerous pollutants. These poisonous chemicals can be carried by wind currents for hundreds of kilometers.

With population growth and increased material wealth, the problem has only got bigger. Thankfully, however, there’s also a greater understanding and awareness that resources are limited and that the problem needs to be tackled head-on.

Dumping or disposing of waste in a thoughtless manner is now considered irresponsible, wasteful and even illegal. We’ve become aware of our responsibility to future generations and to the planet itself. It is indeed slightly ironic that our attempts to heal the sick and create health for all generate waste products that, if not carefully handled and destroyed, harm those exposed to them.