Significant and continual advancements in healthcare technology have enhanced the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients. However, as medical equipment becomes obsolete at a faster rate, the industry is producing alarming quantities of electronic waste.
In short, the irresponsible disposal of e-waste in the medical field can have severe, far-reaching consequences. In this article, we’ll take a look at the top three concerns about e-waste in the healthcare industry. First, let’s examine e-waste in the healthcare industry in more detail.
What is considered e-waste in healthcare?
E-waste, which stands for electronic waste, includes things like printers, cellphones, servers, hard drives, and other devices. In the healthcare industry, e-waste may also refer to computers, lab analyzers, and microscopes as well as more specialized medical devices: electrocardiograms, sphygmomanometers, and spectrophotometers, to name a few.
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Typically, this type of healthcare e-waste is produced by hospitals, toxicology laboratories, treatment centers, physician’s offices, urgent care facilities, cosmetic surgery clinics, dental offices, and other medical facilities. When disposed of, biomedical electronic equipment is considered a hazardous material, because it contains potentially dangerous substances like heavy metals – and that’s just one reason why responsible disposal is imperative.
What are the top 3 concerns about e-waste in the healthcare industry?
1. HIPPA Compliance
The majority of electronics used in medical clinics store data, and not just any data, but sensitive, private information about individual health records. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), healthcare providers are obliged to maintain health data confidentiality and security at all times and this includes after the disposal of data-storing technology.  HIPAA requires that any data stored on a device, whether that be a computer or hard drive, is not just erased, but completely destroyed or shredded.
3. Environmental and Health Impacts of w-waste
Electronic medical equipment including the basics like computers and phones contain hazardous materials and chemicals that, if not properly disposed of, can wreak havoc on the natural environment and human health. Around 70% of global e-waste is often thought to end up in landfills or is improperly recycled. Once in a landfill, these toxic substances can leach into groundwater, impacting local ecosystems, contaminating food, and even threatening human health.
Biomedical electronic equipment contains a range of potentially dangerous materials, such as:
- Copper and titanium-niobium from MRI magnets
- Lead, used in CRT monitors and other devices
- Mercury, used in LCDs
- Cadmium, used in batteries, plastics, resistors, and CRTs
- Chlorinated plastics (PVC), used in cables and wiring
- Brominated flame retardants, used in computer housing and circuit board
Dispose of your medical e-waste responsibly.
Meet your HIPAA obligation, protect your patients’ data, and protect the environment and human health from the negative impacts ofÂ
e-waste by working with a professional, e-waste disposal company.
Mayer Alloys Corporation is an R2 compliant recycler. Mayer will provide you with peace of mind that you are disposing of your organization’s electronic waste safely and responsibly. All electronic waste is recycled in an R2 Certified facility. All hard drives are destroyed and Certificates of Destruction in compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) security standards are provided. For more information about electronic recycling check out our Ultimate Guide To Corporate Electronic Recycling. Â