Open and free markets are the bedrock of the American economy.  The truth however is that we see throughout US history a number of examples in which some companies, while they may stay narrowly within the limits of the law, still manipulate conditions that they become disadvantageous to the consumer.

AT&T is one of the most notable cases of monopolies in recent history which was broken up by the government, however many people don't realize that other high profile companies have been challenged as well.  Microsoft Corp actually lost a case in which was "centered on whether Microsoft was abusing what was essentially a non-coercive monopoly. Microsoft has been challenged by many companies, including Google, over its operating systems' continuing hostility to competitors' software." Source Investopedia.

Free markets require a certain amount of self regulation on the part of any company to operate at peak efficiency.  When a particular company strays too far away from a basic sense of fairness it opens itself to scrutiny and questions in which its business methods and practices are evaluated under the lens of the law.  Many times, before any antitrust conditions are determined to have been present, civil action will be initiated in the interest of and by disgruntled consumers.

So what does all of this have to do with Medical Waste Contracts?  ​Stericycle Inc was recently in the news having settled a $295M lawsuit based on complaints from customers who accused the company of engaging in a price-increasing scheme that automatically inflated customers' bills up to 18 percent biannually.  This is agitated by contracts presented and signed by customers that effectively violated a basic sense of fairness by preventing them from exercising their choice of medical waste disposal provider due to very steep and painful contract cancellation fees.

Contract free medical waste disposal is alive and well in Kentucky and across the US.  Numerous alternative local and regional providers operate throughout the United States which provide services based solely on the quality of their services and reliability which, if you think about it, is a wonderful concept; nothing keeps you committed as a customer except for the delivery of an exceptional service and a fair price.

The American Way!

Learn more about contract free medical waste disposal options in Kentucky.

We work with Dental clinics regularly and often find that they are unsure of how their carpules should be handled when sealing their waste for disposal.  Here is a quick overview that should provide the guidance needed to make the appropriate choice.

Carpules containing blood should be disposed of as sharps medical waste.  They can be placed in a container with other sharps. In Kentucky, if the carpules contain residual anesthetic they should be disposed of in a container properly labeled for transport as pharmaceutical waste to a medical waste incinerator.

Remember, regular medical waste is treated by autoclave; which is high pressure steam sterilization.  Because carpules that have anesthetic still in them they should be treated as pharmaceutical waste, incineration is required.

Although this may create an additional expense for the generator properly handling your various medical waste types protects you and your waste hauler. 

For more questions regarding your sharps and medical waste call 859 780-2267. 

More information about the proper treatment of carpules from the United States Department of Labor.

If you need competent medical waste disposal service in Kentucky contact us.

Selecting a provider to handle your medical/ bio-hazard/ sharps waste can be daunting.  If you are like most you'll find at least a half dozen options in your area.  Before making a selection consider this:

1. Have you checked their rating with the BBB?  In the age of Google, the Better Business Bureau is often forgotten.  But the fact is, the BBB can be a wealth of information when doing your research.  While it is easy (and quick) to spin-off a rating online, complaints to the BBB require more time and effort which means the consumer feels strongly about their issue to take the extra time. Additionally, the BBB will seek answers from the business in an effort to find a resolution for the consumer.  Complaints to the BBB tend to reveal a deep concern on behalf of the consumer.  Check the BBB in your area before making a selection for your medical waste removal provider.  Ask if resolutions were reached that satisfied the consumer or did the business use their size and strength to bully their customer.
2. Speaking of online ratings: Businesses have every opportunity to respond to ratings both good and bad in social media and within search engines such as Yelp and Google.  Consider this:
   1. Did the business bother to respond to negative reviews?  A company that doesn't take the time to respond to their customer's concerns when made publicly won't likely respond to your concerns privately either.  Weigh this carefully before choosing a provider.
   2. Are the reviews/ complaints part of a pattern?
3. Contractual Agreements:  Can you understand the agreement presented or do you feel you need an attorney to break it down for you?
   1. Ask if the contract requires a specific length of time and what the cancellation fees if any there are.  A regulated medical waste removal company that doesn't require a specific length of term in their agreements is held accountable to the laws of free markets. In any business relationship both parties should feel both the responsibility to perform and the freedom to make a change.  Conversely, when one party is protected by an onerous contract, the scales of power are tilted and the laws of free markets are compromised.  Enter into agreements and do business in such a way that, within reason, you and your medical waste removal vendor have freedom of choice.
   2. Ask if there are any additional fees written in the fine print that are not noted included in the cost per box to be removed.  Missing hidden fees can be a costly mistake.

In summary, don't take chances with your hard earned profits.  Being able to trust your medical waste removal provider includes more than just compliance.  You should also be able to trust that you are being dealt with in an honest and transparent way too.  Patterns of complaints against any medical waste disposal company can be very costly to your business if ignored.

You can learn more about sharps disposal and medical waste disposal companies in the Lexington Kentucky at www.bbb.org/lexington/

It's always helpful to know the statutes for medical waste in your state.  Here are the laws and regulations that we follow to keep our customers and our business compliant in Kentucky.

Kentucky Statutes and Resources for Medical Waste