Measuring the impact of medical waste on the environment

The combined health sectors of the United States, Australia, England, and Canada emit an estimated 748 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year, which is more than all but the six top polluting countries in the world.

About 85% of hospital waste is general, non-hazardous waste that can be recycled or sent to a landfill without any special processing and many items could be diverted from landfills entirely.