Compliance is Key to Protecting Your Practice & the Community

Similar to physicians, hospitals and dentists, veterinary practices generate different types of medical waste that must be disposed of safely and within local and federal regulations. As a veterinarian, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are remaining compliant when it comes to the waste that is generated from your practice.

Different types of veterinary medical waste

Much the same way that human care providers have various categories of medical waste, veterinarians also generate hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Items to consider are anything that can pose a health risk to humans, wildlife and the environment. Accidental exposure to anything from sharps that can stick, cut or prick, medications, chemicals used for cleaning or euthanasia, materials that contain blood or bodily fluids from animals can cause illness or injury. Whether through lab services, general procedures or emergency services, there are numerous items that are considered hazardous and should be safely and securely disposed of including:

• Syringes
• Sharps
• Needles
• Scalpels
• Vials
• Gauze
• Tubing
• Containers with live bacteria
• Containers used for vaccines
• Tissue samples from biopsies, etc.
• Specimens and cultures
• Blood, urine, feces and other bodily fluids
• Deceased animals

Handling Veterinary Medical Waste

Understanding and abiding by your state’s medical waste disposal mandates is crucial to remaining compliant. It is also important to be aware of and follow any federal guidelines for waste storage and disposal, especially since veterinarians are often tasked with storing deceased animals. To ensure you are handling and disposing of your waste properly it is recommended that you partner with a reputable medical waste disposal company. In addition, be sure you are doing the following:

• Place all used sharps in approved sharps containers onsite
• Use red bags for bio hazardous items
• Require staff to use PPE when handling waste
• Do not overfill sharps containers or waste bags
• Have waste picked up regularly

In addition to training your staff to properly dispose of all medical waste materials generated in your veterinary practice, partnering with a medical waste disposal company is key. All Points Medical Waste is a full-service medical waste disposal company located in Stuart, Florida. We serve veterinarians, doctors, hospitals, dentists, clinics and many other organizations throughout South Florida. Give us a call today or fill out this form to learn how we can serve you.