Who’s Responsible: What You Need to Know

If your business generates any type of medical waste, you are likely familiar with the term cradle-to-grave. If not, it’s imperative that you know what it means and that you’re aware of your responsibility to ensure you are compliant with local, state and federal regulations.
Cradle-to-grave states that a medical waste generator is responsible for its waste from initial generation to disposal. It further states that nothing relinquishes a generator of this responsibility and there is no expiration date or time limit and hiring someone else to transport and dispose of your waste does not transfer your responsibility.

What are Your Responsibilities According to Cradle-to-Grave?

Whether you’re a physician, owner and operator of a tattoo parlor, a dentist, a veterinarian, the operator of a clinic or treatment center or even a med spa owner, you are required to be responsible for the medical waste you generate under the Cradle-to-Grave regulation. This means that all medical waste must be safely managed and stored, then disposed of under your state’s regulations and compliant with federal mandates. Sharps containers, red bags, bio hazardous and infectious containers must be onsite, secure and never overfilled. All waste must be separated and stored according to categories and disposed of by a licensed and reputable medical waste provider. If you’re unsure of whether or not you’re following the proper Cradle-to-Grave regulations, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are your sharps containers locked & placed properly throughout your facility?
• Do you have a waste management and storage plan?
• Are your staff members trained on proper handling, storage and disposal of waste?
• Do you have the appropriate waste containers onsite?
• Are waste containers accurately labeled?
• Do you have a waste disposal provider?

Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, it’s important to ensure that you have a plan in place for your medical waste once it leaves your facility. Remember that if an incident occurs during the Cradle-to-Grave lifecycle, you are ultimately responsible. That’s why it’s crucial to partner with a medical waste disposal provider that you trust.

All Points Medical Waste is a local, family owned and operated company located in Stuart, Florida. We are committed to ensuring your medical waste is safely disposed of and that your organization remains compliant with all waste regulations. We provide medical waste disposal to hospitals, physicians, treatment centers, funeral homes, dentists, veterinarians, tattoo parlors and many other related facilities throughout South Florida. Give us a call or fill out this form today to learn how we can serve you.