Nurses have a responsibility to inform their patients about
the facts regarding food waste because its consequences affect us all. The methane
that is produced from food waste in landfills goes into the atmosphere and can
be detrimental in many ways. It is important that people understand that
expiration dates on food items are arbitrary and not even necessary. I
personally eat eggs, dairy products, and other items past their expiration date
if they still smell ok and do not look rotten. Throwing food away based on an
expiration date that is randomly decided is a waste of money and resources and
has no bearing on food safety. I would also encourage patients not shy away
from produce that is “ugly”. There are companies that actually sell “ugly”
produce and other food products to help reduce food waste at discounted prices.
So you can help the environment while saving money. I listed a few of these below.
Nursing leadership should push to have logical and safe ways
for patients to get rid of pharmaceutical waste. Part of medication education
when a patient is discharged from the hospital, or when they receive
medications from their providers, should include proper disposal. Everyone
should be made aware that flushing pills and other medications is not
acceptable. The hospital where I worked previously had a disposal bin where
patients could drop old pills, but there were no options for narcotics. All
pharmacies should have systems in which patients can safety get rid of old
medications so that they do not end up in our water systems. Within hospitals
and other health care facilities, nursing leadership must establish and enforce
strict policies to ensure that workers, including nurses, follow disposal
rules. There seem to be stringent rules in place for medications like
chemotherapy from my experience, but not as strict rules for other medications.
The speaker that outlined her no waste lifestyle was very
inspiring and proposed many ideas from which all of us could benefit, and that
could greatly benefit the earth. Looking around my home, I have started to
realize how much plastic I use every single day. There are many ways that I can
reduce the amount of waste that I produce. I can stop buying foods at the
grocery store that are packaged. I have reusable bags, and the produce I buy
does not have to be placed into individual plastic bags. At this time in my
life, I do not think it is feasible for me, nor do I have the time, to make my
own versions of most products. Most grocery stores have a bulk section for
products like grains, nuts, and seeds. These items tend to be cheaper when bought
in bulk and can be placed into reusable containers instead of plastic
one-time-use bags. Over the past few years I have been trying to be better
about producing less waste, but I still have a long way to go. There is always
room for improvement!
I am currently concerned also about pharmaceutical waste controls, specifically oral chemotherapy agents. I've written a policy brief that discusses the need for drug manufacturers to provide safe-handling inserts describing how to administer and discard this hazardous drug waste. Currently, efforts have focused on healthcare organizations through regulations by the EPA and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. In August 2019, new regulations dictated that healthcare organizations could not dispose of opioids or chemotherapies down the drain or sink due to the high risk of environmental contamination and harm to nature. I thought this was already being done. However, this new regulation does not address the home setting and more that 30% of the 900 chemotherapy treatments are in oral form. These hazardous drugs are usually self-administered by patients. They can't throw beyond-use medications away properly because noone, especially local waste management companies, will pick-up this waste stream. My hope is that this policy brief will awaken drug manufacturers to do the right thing and help the public understand their role in environmental safety.
ReplyDeleteI was looking to the website you mention about the ugly fruits and vegetables being sold, I found them very interesting. They reminded me the way my grandparents used to shop, I really believe we should change the ways we think and op for more organic and farm fill products
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