The pandemic has created capacity issues in hospitals, pushing more care into the home. Some of those people are cared for by professionals in the industry, and more people have taken on the role of at-home caregiver for their loved ones. But what about those who live alone and are left to care for themselves? Or those patients who live in under served communities and have limited access to health care resources? Health inequities have […]

One of the most critical aspects of healthcare is the management of the waste generated at the facilities. A variety of businesses generate medical waste including hospitals and veterinary clinics, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, tattoo and body piercing parlors. No matter what type of business you are in, understanding how to properly dispose of medical waste will not only help you keep your employees and the public safe, but it will also keep […]

Can you throw your at-home, rapid COVID-19 test in the trash, or is it considered hazardous biological waste? Unlike at hospitals, at-home tests can be thrown in the normal trash, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the Miami Herald in January. However, some states have taken different stances. In Delaware, schools should treat the kits as infectious waste, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Schools have been directed […]

California officials have sued Walmart for allegedly dumping hazardous waste improperly at municipal landfills over the past six years.Since February 2015, the retail giant has illegally disposed of waste including alkaline and lithium batteries, insect killer sprays and other pesticides, aerosol cans, toxic cleaning supplies, electronic waste, latex paints, and LED lightbulbs, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by the district attorneys for 12 counties, said in the complaint. According to results from Walmart’s own […]

Biochem Technical Services LLC (Biochem) and its owner, Raoul Keith Mangrum Jr., are accused of violating the state public health code involving mismanagement of medical waste. The waste includes body tissue samples, contaminated bandages and laboratory equipment. A complaint was filed in Oakland County Circuit Court on Dec. 10 on behalf of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Materials Management Division. EGLE alleges that Mangrum removed medical waste from his clients’ […]

A Detroit man who is being sued by authorities for stockpiling medical and laboratory waste in rental storage units apologized when contacted by phone this week, saying he was overwhelmed by the business he started. “I didn’t do any of what I did maliciously. I was just trying to make some money,” said Raoul Mangrum Jr., who, as owner of Biochem Technical Services LLC, allegedly violated state waste disposal laws in a manner that drew […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all areas of life. People, organizations, and governments have tried to adapt behavior to stay safe and minimize the risk of infection. One particular area of focus has been protection — most commonly via the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks and gloves. When people use PPE correctly, they can reduce their risk for severe illness or injury. However, it is also critical to consider how […]

As we’ve all paid a lot more attention to avoiding illness the past couple of years, we’ve also had to think about some new kinds of waste. We’re figuring out how to recycle disposable masks and properly dispose of cloth masks to avoid PPE pollution. We worry whether all those little plastic bottles of hand sanitizer will end up polluting the ocean and if cloth masks expose us to toxins. It’s almost enough to make […]

The industry is rarely mentioned among the chief planet polluters — and companies are intensifying their sustainability efforts to make sure it stays that way. In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued a long-anticipated report. You probably heard about it: Based on more than 14,000 studies and approved by the government of every U.N. member nation, the IPCC report is the most comprehensive […]