Integrated Waste Solutions

___

At Paper Cuts, we strive to continue to add new complimentary medical waste removal services that are both regulatory compliant and environmentally sensitive in line with our corporate mission and values. As a provider of regulatory compliant services for the healthcare market, our Medical Waste Specialists focus on small to mid-size generators of medical waste, and pharmaceutical waste waste. Our ultimate goal is to always provide you with all of the best professional security and destruction services, including shredding, recycling, destruction in Southern California at affordable rates that will help you meet your bottom line.

What is Medical Waste?

___

Medical waste is broadly classified as any item that comes into contact with human bodily fluids. More specifically, it can be defined as any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of humans. Medical waste also includes paper towels, wipes, gloves, syringes without needles, bandages or dressings with small amounts of dry blood or fluid, and any other material from medical care. Syringes with needles or sharp objects that can piece through a plastic bag require a special storage container for additional protection. Typically, bright red biohazardous containers and bags can be seen throughout hospitals and medical offices and are used to safely remove sharps, needles, and IV catheters that contain any human blood or bodily fluid.

Industries We Serve

___

With our Medical Waste Management services, we provides management and treatment for medical, pharmaceutical and hazardous waste in healthcare facilities in Southern California. We serve small to mid-size waste generators delivering regulatory compliance at affordable business rates. By combining all of your regulated waste requirements along with your other document security and destruction needs under Paper Cuts as a single provider, you can benefit greatly from cost efficiencies and service integration. We offer both mailback and pickup service solutions in order to meet your specific needs based on individual locations. Currently, our customer focus includes the following types of healthcare providers:

• Hospitals
• Hospice
• Dental Offices
• Medical Offices
• Retail Clinics
• Veterinary Clinics
• Home Health Care
• Home Infusion
• Wellness Providers
• Long Term Care Facilities
• State/Local/Federal Governments

Sharps Disposal

___

Disposal of Sharps, or any medical object that can cut or pierce the skin, can be dangerous and need to be handled by professionals. One needle stick can take a life, or deliver thousands in fines from the EPA or other government entities. Regulations that govern usage of Sharps are always in flux, and can change drastically across state or even local lines. Being sure to err on the side of safety can can be very expensive. From a medical perspective, there’s an added element from potential contamination by bloodborne pathogens. Because this combination can spread disease, proper sharps disposal is always a priority in any healthcare facility. Examples of typical sharps requiring special disposal in a safety container include:

• Needles - Hollow needles used for injecting medications.
• Syringes - Medical injection plungers used to provide dosage of drugs that may have needles attached.
• Lancets - AKA “fingerstick” devices. These short, double-edged blades are used to get blood drops for testing.
• Infusion Sets - Tubing/needle systems used to deliver medications beneath the skin.
• EPI Pens - Auto injectors pre-filled with epinephrine in case of anaphylactic shock.
• Insulin Pens - Injectors that are pre-filled with insulin for diabetics.
• Connection Needles/Sets - Needles that connect to tubes. Mainly used for home hemodialysis patients.
• Scalpels - Medical and other cutting blades.
• Scissors - Medical scissors used to cut flesh or dressings.
• Glass - Even unbroken glass that hasn’t necessarily been contaminated may still need sharps disposal.
• Sharp Plastics - Special plastics that may need disposal.

Pharmaceuticals Waste Management

___

Safe and proper management of unused or expired ultimate user medications in hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities must always be handled by professionals. The DEA has released regulations under the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act that allows commingled collection of controlled (Schedules II-V) and non-controlled medications from ultimate users in long-term care facilities, hospitals/clinics with onsite pharmacies and narcotics treatment centers. Our medical waste specialists handle medication collection and disposal in an easy and cost-effective manner and complies with all DEA regulations. Using our hazardous waste and medical waste programs, healthcare providers have a single source for regulatory-compliant management of their regulated waste streams.

Pharma Waste Compliance

___

In addition to other universal waste, healthcare providers generate more than 84,000 tons of pharmaceutical waste each year. Many are unaware that they can be inspected and cited and therefore don't have programs in place to manage these types of wastes properly. Facilities can be subject to fines of up to $37,500 per day per incident for noncompliance with pharmaceutical waste regulations. We develop comprehensive pharma waste programs for conditionally exempt small quantity generators that include waste determination, storage, transportation and proper treatment.