Ryan Wischnack, a Veolia Technical Sales Representative for the Hazardous Waste team in Escondido/San Diego, was meeting a new customer a few months ago when he noticed seven large pallets of unused medical sharps containers being readied for disposal.
Realizing that the containers may be destined for disposal into a landfill as biohazardous waste, Ryan suggested an alternative. Would the customer mind if the pallets were instead donated to a nearby phlebotomy lab?
“They thought it was a great idea, so we got things in motion to arrange diverting the pallets to the lab,” said Ryan, who worked on the transfer with several colleagues on the team, including Operations Manager Matt Ignacic; Gustavo Molina, Project Manager in Escondido; and Javier Zambrano, Project Manager for the customer in San Diego.
In all, the pallets contained approximately 8,000 plastic containers that were prepackaged but were not needed by the customer, a pharmaceutical manufacturer. The containers have since been delivered to the phlebotomy lab, where they are being used to meet the needs of patients. Some of the containers were delivered to area startup companies as well.
This proactive diversion exemplifies Veolia’s comprehensive approach to source reduction & reuse. We partner with customers not just to meet basic regulatory requirements, but to go above and beyond to regenerate potential waste into a useful resource whenever possible. By transforming what would have been landfill waste into a valuable supply for local healthcare providers, Veolia's team actively put our goal into practice: striving for zero waste to landfill.
AJ Munro, the General Manager for the Hazardous Waste Western Branch, said he was proud of the way the team developed a creative solution to support greater sustainability. “I love what this demonstrates about our team in San Diego and the relationship they have with our customers and their commitment to our GreenUp strategy across Veolia,” AJ said.
Ready to transform your environmental challenges into sustainable solutions? Whether you want to implement Zero Waste to Landfill strategies or are seeking safe and reliable Medical Waste Disposal, Veolia’s knowledge and technology can help you reach your sustainability goals.