Managing a busy care home is a 24/7 commitment and throughout the pandemic the challenges have been immense. Alongside balancing the needs of residents and staff, operational responsibilities are significant – including the careful disposal of often hazardous waste.
Selecting the right waste management partner for a Care Home can be tricky. As with all businesses, Care Homes have a statutory and ethical duty of care to professionally manage their waste and are required to;
1. Follow the hierarchy of waste by doing everything possible to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste.
2. Be compliant with the Environmental Protection Act which includes keeping waste safely, handing it to a licenced person or business and keeping records.
Diligent management of medical refuse is essential in a care home to prevent the infection, injury and environmental risks associated with it; however, it can also be expensive and labour-intensive to administrate effectively.
Tips for choosing the right waste partner;
· Check their licences and credentials.
· Examine their capability to handle all your hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams.
· Focus on their environmental performance.
· Check their support service capabilities to provide advice on reducing waste and recycling.
· Consider if their proposal provides a cost-effective solution.
Remember price isn’t everything! Although price is important, having good levels of customer service and a dedicated account management are equally as important. Achieving a cost-effective solution for your waste that balances price with reliability, legal compliance, service and environmental targets is key.
I have to declare that one of my clients is 1st Waste Management Consultants www.1stwaste.co.uk and they are experts in care home waste management. I’d recommend you having a chat with them to ensure you have all the bases covered.