444 Health Care Waste
➋ List what is in the pharmacy and supply room.
Since most materials are ordered through the
pharmacy or supply room, start your assessment by
making a list of what you find in those places.
As you look at each item, ask what kind of waste
will be produced, and how harmful it will be.
Can disposable items be replaced with things that
can safely be reused? Can fewer or safer chemicals
be used? Can the center use less plastic, fewer items
that contain mercury, or make any other changes to
reduce the amount of harmful waste?
➌ Make a map of the health center.
Show all rooms, doors, and windows, and note what each room is used for.
Use different colors to mark places where waste is created, where waste
containers are kept, and where waste is stored as it is collected and transported
from its source to its final storage or disposal site.
This map can be changed as the group walks through the health
center. After the assessment, make a new map to show any changes
that have been made. Notice especially where containers are kept for
collecting waste.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012