Medical / Infectious Waste
Other Medical Waste Web Sites
These non-profit organizations can help you to reduce the use of mercury in health care, to manage and reduce many types of waste, to reuse medical equipment and supplies and to find information about worker safety issues. Please note that inclusion in this list does not imply that the information offered is consistent with Wisconsin law or regulations.
The URLs (web addresses) listed below were current as of September 2000. To visit the sites below, highlight a web address (http://.....), copy and paste it into the browser address bar of your web browser, then press the enter Key. For more information about many of these web sites, see "Who offers technical assistance?" in the DNR publication "References: Health Care and Medical Wastes," (PDF 85K) publication PUBL-WA290.
Medical waste management and waste reduction
www.h2e-online.org -- Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) is a voluntary program designed to help hospitals, clinics and nursing homes enhance work place safety, reduce waste and waste disposal costs and become better environmental stewards and neighbors. This web site includes an awards program, an e-mail discussion group and many helpful resources. H2E is a joint project of the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Care Without Harm, and the American Nurses Association.
http://www.uml.edu/centers/LCSP/hospitals/-- The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production of the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Sustainable Hospitals web site. Provides health care personnel with tools, training and technical support to improve the environmental practices of healthcare facilities.
http://outreach.missouri.edu/polsol/health.htm-- Outreach and Extension, University of Missouri, Lincoln. Specific waste reduction recommendations for health care facilities and all types of businesses.
http://www.besmart.org-- University of Wisconsin Extension,Waste reduction ideas for dental, veterinary and medical clinics and other businesses. Click on business then on clinic type. See also other business tips , hospitality and waste lamps.
http://www.uvm.edu/~dceweb/profprog/healthCare/index.html-- University of Vermont. Training (teleconferences, seminars, conferences, videos, CD-ROMs) on waste reduction in health care.
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/medical/index.htm-- USEPA medical waste home page. Includes links to federal and state regulations about medical waste and links to publications.
http://www.c2p2online.com/main.php3?section=83&doc_id=169&session=-- Healthcare Enviro-Net is a network of Canadian healthcare and environmental organizations committed to the promotion of sustainable development in healthcare.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BizWaste/FactSheets/Hospital.htm-- Waste Prevention World. Waste reduction activities for hospitals.
http://www.noharm.org-- Health Care Without Harm: The Campaign for Environmentally Responsible Health Care. Publications. Alternatives to mercury-containing products. How to reduce plastics. Links to many waste-related web sites.
http://www.aha.org/-- American Hospital Association. Click on "On-line store" and search for "waste reduction" to order the "Guidebook for Hospital Waste Reduction Planning and Program Implementation" by Hollie Shaner and Glenn McRae.
http://www.albanyonline.com/hrcc-- Healthcare Resources Conservation Coalition (HRCC). Includes publications, bibliography, and links to related web sites.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home-- USEPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Pollution Prevention. Includes USEPA Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse, information on conferences, workshops and training. Click on Publications for Hospitals for a Healthy Environment.
Pollution Prevention
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/Recycling/recycling.htmWis. Recycling Markets Directory.
http://www.recycle.net-- Recycler's World. Recovery and recycling of wastes such as batteries, mercury, fluorescent tubes, glass, plastics, chemicals and computers.
http://www.p2gems.org/-- Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI). Internet search tool for all types of pollution prevention.
http://es.epa.gov/-- USEPA Envirosense. Common sense solutions to environmental problems. Guidance for small businesses. Alternatives to solvents.
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/publications.htm-- USEPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications (formerly NCEPI), the central repository for all free EPA documents.
Mercury Reduction
http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/bnsdocs/merchealth/index.html-- USEPA. Reducing Mercury Use in Health Care/Promoting a Healthier Environment: A How-to Manual. Highly recommended.
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/mercury/src/title.htm-- USEPA. Purdue University's interactive educational software about proper handling and disposal of mercury in medical facilities. http://www.epa.gov/toxteam/trt_merc.htm
-- USEPA Mercury page. Includes the Memorandum of Understanding about medical waste reduction, signed by USEPA and the American Hospital Association.
http://www.epa.gov/reg5oair/glakes/hgfact.htm-- USEPA Region 5. The "Mercury Page" for proper handling and disposal of mercury wastes from health care.
http://www.masco.org/mercury/-- Massachusetts Water Resources Authority/Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization, Inc. Hospital Mercury work group project. Mercury Products database.
Donations of medical supplies and equipment
Contact the organization before sending donations. Donate locally to AIDs support groups, the American Red Cross, schools, animal shelters, veterinarians, and health practitioners who volunteer locally or overseas.
http://www.remedyinc.org- Recovered Medical Equipment for the Developing World (REMEDY). This organization does NOT accept donations. It does offer an in-service program to explain how to collect and distribute excess supplies within the operating room suite.
http://www.wrp.org- Wheelchair Recycling Program. Provides mobility with dignity to individuals in Wisconsin and the world. Currently accepting mobility devices and other medical equipment and supplies.
http://www.sharingresourcesworldwide.org- Sharing Resources Worldwide. Collects surplus medical supplies, gently used medical equipment, wheelchairs, walkers, prosthetic supplies, school and craft supplies, linens, and other items that would likely be destined for Wisconsin landfills and distributes them locally and worldwide. Does not accept medications.
http://www.bbi.org- Brother to Brother International, Inc. (gifts-in-kind arm of World Vision). Provides free computer matching of institutional donation of medical supplies and other items to suitable non-profit recipients.
http://www.directrelief.org- Direct Relief International. Provides essential material resources to locally run health programs in poor areas around the world and during times of disaster.
Bloodborne Pathogens
http://epi-center.ucsf.edu/-- The Epidemiology and Prevention Interventions Center. Includes PEPNet for treatment protocol for post-exposure prophylaxis (that is, what to do if you may have been exposed to blood or body fluids). Also includes PEPline, the National Clinician's Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline, a free consultation service for clinicians treating occupational exposure to HIV and other bloodborne pathogens. Phone consultations available 24 hr/day, 7 days/week at (888) HIV-4911.
http://www.osha.gov/-- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Bloodborne pathogen standard, TB standard. Searchable guidance on topics such as disposal of chemotherapy drugs.
http://www.fpm.wisc.edu/bbp/-- UW-Madison Safety Department, Occupational Health program. Bloodborne pathogen training on the Internet.
DISCLAIMERS: Mention of products, organizations or services does not imply the Department of Natural Resources or the State of Wisconsin endorses a product, organization or service. The references listed are not intended to substitute for the regulations and statutes that apply. Please consult Wisconsin's regulations and statutes for more information.
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