Our Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
Stericycle is committed to protecting the health and well-being of the people and places around us safely, responsibly, and sustainably.
Stericycle Global Environmental Sustainability Highlights
At Stericycle, we deliver solutions and drive innovations that protect the environment, people, and public health. We do business the right way, not just the easy way. This includes working to create a more sustainable, shared future. Our innovative solutions make a difference in people’s lives, communities, and our planet by protecting their health and well-being. Learn more in our Corporate Social Responsibility Overview.
We deliver essential sustainability services that protect the public from harmful waste, and help the healthcare industry make progress towards sustainability and climate goals. Our services include diverting medical waste from landfills, and alternative use opportunities that lead to greater security and well-being around the world. We recognize that sustainability is a continuous pursuit. No matter how much we achieve, there is always more that can be done tomorrow. Our challenge and our responsibility every day is to make a difference by protecting what matters.
1.3 billion pounds of medical waste treated, helping to protect the public from potentially infectious material.
906 million pounds of paper shredded and recycled, helping to safeguard our customers’ confidential information.
101 million pounds of plastic diverted from landfills through the use of reusable sharps waste and pharmaceutical waste containers as compared to single-use containers.
55 million pounds of pharmaceutical waste treated prior to disposal, helping to ensure that active pharmaceutical ingredients do not end up in waterways.
Source: Stericycle global data, 2023, normalized to exclude the impact from divested businesses.
Sustainability with Shred-it® Services
Our Shred-it Secure Information Destruction Service supports a circular economy. We are proud to provide a valuable source of paper for recycling into high-demand products while also purchasing products made from recycled content. Recent highlights in Shred-it services:
- In 2023, Shred-it securely collected approximately 906 million pounds of shredded sorted office paper.
- The material used to manufacture our sturdy and secure Shred-it document collection consoles features 100% recovered and recycled fibers.
- The document destruction transport bins used in transporting secure information for destruction during collection are molded from 100% recycled HDPE plastic.
New SafeShield™ Medical Waste Containers
As a leading provider of medical waste service, our record of innovation continues with the introduction of new reusable containers. Our new SafeShield Antimicrobial Medical Waste Containers are DOT-compliant and should provide the following benefits:
- Embedded with Cupron®, a copper-based antimicrobial protectant
- HDPE material – all plastic construction made with 15% recyclable content
- Integrated lid closes securely and eliminates lid misplacement
- Designed for durability and with reinforced handles to extend useful life
- Nestable for convenient storage
- Split lid securely locks for storage and transport
- Standardized sizes and stackable for more efficient transportation
- Smooth interior with built-in drainage ports for easy cleaning
Eco-Conscious, Safe, and Convenient Sharps Waste Disposal
In 2023, Stericycle and our client-partners diverted 101 million pounds of plastic from entering landfills through the use of reusable sharps containers. Stericycle was a pioneer in sustainable medical waste disposal and continues to this day to innovate safe, compliant, and eco-conscious solutions that protect the team members, patients, and communities of healthcare organizations around the world.
We also offer a Carbon Footprint Estimator for healthcare organizations use in calculating potential reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by switching from single use, disposable containers to Stericycle reusable sharps containers.
Safe Community Solutions
Stericycle helps our customers protect the communities they serve with a variety of disposal solutions for household-generated medications and sharps waste. We partner with pharmacies, hospitals, law enforcement, employers, government agencies and non-profit organizations to deliver our services to communities across the United States, protecting homes, workplaces, and the environment from the damaging impacts of the opioid crisis, infectious disease, and contamination of waterways and drinking water systems.
These solutions include:
- SafeDrop™ sharps mail back containers
- MedDrop™ medication collection kiosks
- Seal&Send™ medication envelopes
Supporting The NHS’ Efforts to Reduce Plastic Waste
England’s National Health Service (NHS), the largest single healthcare network in the world, has committed to be a net zero carbon footprint health system by 2040. As part of that commitment, NHS has pledged to reduce the environmental damage caused by plastic waste.
Stericycle’s Sharps Management Service, also known as Bio Systems Sharps Management Solution in the U.K., provides hospitals with sharps containers that can be reused up to 600 times as an alternative to single-use, disposable sharps containers.
Between November 2012 and December 2020, NHS facilities across England have diverted 7,715 metric tonnes of single-use plastic from incineration by using reusable sharps containers.
Stericycle's Portfolio of Solutions
We are proud to support over one million customers around the world with their sustainability initiatives through our broad portfolio of services, including:
