Hospitals generate more than two million tons of waste each year. In the past, many hospitals simply dumped all waste streams together, from reception-area trash to operating-room waste, and burned them in incinerators. Now we know that incineration is a leading source of highly toxic dioxin, mercury, lead and other dangerous air pollutants.
Often, regulated medical waste is shipped all across the country to incinerators or treatment facilities. Just like solid waste, regulated medical waste is brought to transfer stations for almalgamated shipping to the destination facility.
In addition to the threats that come from solid waste transfer stations (the noise, high diesel truck volume leading to poor air quality, smell), regulated medical waste comes with additional concerns: illness-bearing material, needles and spilled mercury.
To learn about DEC's program to manage regulated medical waste, go to this link.
The Health Care Without Harm campaign is working globally to reduce the harm does to our environment by the medical industry. You can learn more about how to stop regulated medical waste from traveling through your community by going to their section on medical waste.