Resolving Global Medical Waste
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Two hot-button issues dominating the headlines today are healthcare and the environment. Non-profit organization MedShare tackles both of these concerns by acting as a recycling and distribution center for surplus medical supplies and equipment.
When a state-of-the-art hospital or medical facility in the U.S. has extra supplies, MedShare takes and distributes them to medical institutions around the world. The company considers its efforts as a way of “bridging the gap between surplus and need.”
Earth911.com recently caught up with Holly Frew, spokeswoman for MedShare, to learn about how this company manages to help medical facilities worldwide while reducing the medical community’s overall waste and impact on the environment.
Volunteers in Niger unload a truckload of medical supplies from MedShare. Photo: Medshare.org
Preventing Medical Waste
Since opening in 1998, MedShare has donated more than $60 million in medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in more than 78 countries. The company partners with hospitals, clinics, medical manufacturers and distributors to collect surplus supplies and equipment. Medshare then sends these materials to underserved medical facilities across the globe.
“The supplies and equipment that MedShare collects and sends to needy healthcare facilities would be going into landfills or incinerators, and in 10 years of operations, we have saved over 1 million cubic feet of landfill space,” Frew says.
She adds that a recent environmental impact study conducted by Georgia Tech found that in 2008, MedShare’s supply and recovery operations saved 534,730 pounds of CO2 and 1.8 million kWh of energy, equal to 150 households’ annual electricity use.
Frew also notes that medical waste is the third largest source of waste in the nation. In fact, U.S. hospitals discard more than 2 million tons of waste each year, according to Healthcare Without Harm.
“Hospitals must discard unused, unexpired surplus medical supplies due to regulatory requirements and to cut costs. Meanwhile, in the developing world, more than 10 million children under the age of five die each year due to inadequate medical care,” Frew explains. “MedShare’s operations offer an environmentally responsible way for hospitals and medical companies to discard their surplus supplies. As a result, MedShare’s innovative dual mission impacts the environment domestically and healthcare globally.”
In addition to donating general healthcare supplies, MedShare can also restore and repair biomedical equipment. The company’s two full-time biomedical engineers also travel internationally to train recipient medical staff on how to properly use the biomedical equipment.
Addressing a Global Healthcare Crisis
MedShare works with medical partners across the country to take in supplies and sort, label, inventory and prepare each piece of equipment for shipping. Recipients can then look at all available supplies and order those that fit their needs, therefore maximizing the supplies to their fullest potential.
“I’ve seen hospitals in developing countries have to wash and hang surgical gloves out to dry, while here in the U.S., hospitals often discard such items for various regulatory reasons,” Frew says.
MedShare also equips medical mission teams that work in developing nations worldwide. So far, the company says it has provided more than $2.3 million in supplies to more than 1,000 volunteer medical teams. But MedShare doesn’t just act globally: The company also supplies free clinics in Georgia and California (its two home states) through its Medical Mission Team Store.
MedShare representatives also note that volunteers are a vital part of its operations. Its volunteer corps averages more than 600 dedicated individuals per month. In 2008, its volunteers sorted a total of 141 tons of valuable medical supplies and contributed more than 21,000 total volunteer hours.
Greening MedShare’s Internal Operations
In addition to a mission that directly impacts the environment, Frew says MedShare does its best to set an example as a company and remain environmentally friendly. This includes recycling all office supplies and revamping the way it uses energy.
“Our Western Distribution Center in San Leandro just changed its office to [a] high-efficiency lighting process and is applying to become a certified green business in California,” Frew says. “The national office in Atlanta is also making efforts to do an electrical audit to change to high-efficiency lighting.”
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Resolving Global Medical Waste - Earth911.com | Medical record online
posted on August 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
[...] to recycle, dirtying hindrance and how support protect the environment. Originally posted here: Resolving Global Medical Waste – Earth911.com Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: and-much, environment, including-recycling, league-tables, [...]
Beej
posted on August 25th, 2009 at 8:32 am
This is a great organization, and I am glad they are able to do this.
But how does throwing out supplies cut costs for US hospitals? Wouldn’t ordering less cut costs?
Also, I want to know what happens to the used medical supplies. I work for a wellness company, and it makes my teeth itch to see how many used gloves get discarded. I know that it’s absolutely necessary to wear them, but I cringe when I watch them don a new pair for each patient because I know all of those gloves are piling up somewhere. What about THAT medical waste?
Resolving Global Medical Waste - Earth911.com | Medical Colleges , News, Journals, Jobs ,education informations
posted on August 25th, 2009 at 10:45 am
[...] recycling centers, how to recycle, pollution prevention and how help protect the environment.Read Full about this medical News / resources Related Medical informationsStudy: Pollution Causing Cancer in Animals – Earth911.comRespro [...]
46legallRN
posted on August 25th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I join you in your concern about used medical supplies, ie., gloves, etc. I often have wondered what impact the use of gloves and other medical supplies has on the environment…where does medical waste go after being discarded? It is the one area in my line of work (I’m a hospital staff nurse) that makes me doubt that my efforts really make a difference…am I helping or am I hindering? What will the long-term impact be on the earth with my use of so many medical supplies to help one individual get through a crisis? Does anyone else sense this dilemma?
Trey Granger
posted on August 25th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
It makes sense that medical waste would be one of the largest forms of waste, and also one of the most dangerous. Think about what happens if needles aren’t properly disposed.
Michelle
posted on August 27th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I am with you all. I cringe to think of how wasteful our society is in general. This really hit me hard when my daughter had to go to an urgent care center for stitches. The doctor pulled out a brand new set of sterile STAINLESS STEEL instruments for the procedure and when he was done, he was going to THROW THEM AWAY!! I asked if we could keep them and he said sure. They are perfectly good scissors and tweezers that my husband now uses for fishing trips! It is insane to think how many times those types of items are discarded – DAILY. What a sinful waste! There has got to be a way to reuse and redistribute these items. What happened to the days of sterilization? These items should be re-used for these simple procedures OR they should be made out of recycled material (hard plastic) and recycled properly.
Stephanie Jansky
posted on August 28th, 2009 at 7:53 am
MedShare International, medWish International and the other nonprofit organizations comprising the Med Surplus Network try to solve two social problems simultaneously – diverting lifesaving, usable medical supplies from the landfills and extending their life by sending them oversears as medical humanitarian aid. Michelle, I appreciate you writing this story and informing your readers about the good work being done by these organizations to save lives and save the environment.
Themba Moyo
posted on October 14th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Good Day
Seeing that you are doing such a stunning job on medical waste management,i would like to take this opportunity to invite you to come and share your views with people from Africa who are faced with challenges in dealing with Medical Waste at our Medical Waste Management Conference 2010 to be held is South Africa from 1st – 3rd December 2010.
For more information on participating,exhibiting and sponsoring please visit,www.medical-waste.co.za
Regards
Themba