The environment is being altered on a massive scale by the way we live our lives today. There are so many things that are damaging the environment and there are concerns it will never recover. While some still dismiss these concerns and do not worry about them as they do not feel they affect them personally, the reality is that the damage is affecting everyone and while our small part may feel like it can’t possibly make a difference, our collective efforts can do much good. If each of us properly disposes of our household waste, around the world this can have a huge impact. But what of companies? They obviously have much more waste to dispose of, so even more so should they be concerned about how they do this. And what about medical waste disposal? There are so many hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices around the country that all have waste to be disposed of. And an added problem is that different types of medical waste need to be disposed of in different, very specific ways, not just to protect the environment, but to protect people too. Despite the difficulties and amount of thought that has to go into it, it is important, yes necessary, that this is done.

Although we should all want to dispose of our waste correctly, we also have a legal obligation to do so. Especially for companies is this the case. And when it comes to medical facilities, the legal requirements are strict but as we have said, they are also necessary. Dangers from medical waste are many and varied but the main problem is the danger to human life. This is why so many laws are there, for our protection. But the dangers are not only to human life. Animal life is also in danger, along with the environment. In some countries, especially where laws are not quite so strict or where unlawful medical facilities are in place, medical waste is not disposed of properly. Instead, it is often found to be dumped into local water supplies. This waste can then release toxins into the water which can eventually affect any humans who drink from this contaminated water. But even if not, it is very damaging to local wildlife, especially any that live in the water. Entire species are going extinct because of this complete lack of disregard for the environment.

All of us need to be aware of the dangers facing our environment and how this affects us personally. If we all play our small part, together we can show our planet the respect it deserves.