Healthcare Waste Institute issues statement in support of CDC

The Healthcare Waste Institute (HWI), part of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, has issued a statement in support of the work the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the federal government’s administrative transition, expressing its appreciation for a long-standing collaborative relationship between both organizations.

The HWI boasts a diverse membership across the United States providing frontline health care waste management services for the nation’s health care system. Emerging infectious diseases continue to affect people globally, with an increased number of incidences within the United States, challenging U.S.-based medical facilities to provide care to affected individuals wherever they may be, according to HWI.

"HWI members are an essential and critical component of patient care as they collect, transport, treat and dispose of regulated medical waste from hospitals, clinics, urgent care and doctor’s offices,” NWRA President and CEO Michael E. Hoffman says. “Their commitment to the safety of their employees, health care workers and the public is exemplified by their efforts to educate and work with health care facilities on optimal disposal practices.”

HWI says it appreciates the ongoing work of the CDC to monitor emerging infectious diseases, noting that because of the monitoring, subsequent notifications and shared expertise, health care facilities and HWI members are more aware of the level of risk and spread of diseases and can better plan responses that protect overall public health and safety, including that of doctors, nurses, patients and waste collectors.

The statement calls the CDC a “key resource for information and communication throughout these responses,” saying that a timely exchange of information is critical for ensuring the waste industry can respond appropriately to protect communities and essential workers.