Solid waste management practices in U.S. Army medical treatment facilities

U.S. Army medical treatment facilities (MTFs) will be challenged to reduce waste as the Army internalizes as environmental ethic and privatizes solid waste management. A questionnaire was modified to survey solid waste management practices, participation in waste reduction and recycling programs, and solid waste management problems in 25 MTFs. Questionnaires were returned by 19 (76%) of the sites. Eighteen sites participated in waste reduction and recycling programs. Twelve sites used contractors to disinfect potentially infectious solid waste off site. Mean importance ratings of waste reduction and recycling were 2.00 and 1.83 (1 = very important; 5 = very unimportant), respectively. Limited staffing was ranked as the most significant waste management problem, followed by cost and regulatory compliance. More information on waste generation in MTFs is needed. The Army Medical Department should be presented as a model of environmental and natural resource stewardship for the health care industry.