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Stericycle & Medical Waste Incineration in North Carolina
"First, do no harm"
Incineration of medical waste creates very serious public health and environmental
problems. It pollutes our air, our waters, and our soil with a toxic stew of pollutants (dioxins, mercury, particulate matter,
heavy metals, nitrous oxides and more).
This problem needs a solution now. That solution will come from
community members, like you, who challenge Stericycle to act with
corporate responsibility and promote safer, non-incineration alternatives. It will come from concerned healthcare facilities who reduce their waste
incineration to the minimum amount necessary.
Stericycle, Inc. operates the largest medical waste incinerator in North Carolina.
Thousands of pounds of medical waste burn nearly every hour, every day at Stericycle
incinerators in Haw River (Alamance County).
Medical waste from almost half of the United States is trucked into Haw River in any given year.
Our air, our lungs, our environment are being polluted. Stericycle needs to stop polluting
North Carolina air. They have an alternative:
re-direct their customers to Stericycle's own non-incineration technologies.
Hospitals generate the majority of this medical waste that pollutes the
air that North Carolinians breathe. Yet 90% or more of
this waste could be safely diverted from incineration.
Alternative treatment technologies work (eg, autoclave, microwave, and others). They are available and
approved by regulatory agencies. These technologies provide a much healthier alternative to incineration.
Our healthcare facilities can become stewards for preventive health
and the environment when they use environmentally responsible waste management practices.
They should
switch to non-incineration technologies for all medical waste not required by law or
regulation to be burned. Only then will they adhere to the adage, "First, do no
harm."
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Put your concerns into action. Volunteer for the
Stericycle Awareness Campaign
| "What is the right thing? Simply put, it is the elimination of all incineration of
medical waste not required by law to be burned." Martha Hamblin, GASP, at
Stericyle Annual Stockholder Meeting |
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