Salem, OR – Salem Health is bracing for a substantial increase in its medical waste disposal costs, following a recent decision by the Salem City Council to raise disposal rates. The hike, which will more than double the health system’s annual bill to approximately $2 million, comes just one month after the closure of the Brooks garbage incinerator, a facility that previously handled much of the county’s waste.
The council’s unanimous vote to raise rates has left Salem Health, along with other local businesses, scrambling to adjust to the sharp cost increase. The health system, which provides essential medical services to the region, will now be forced to pay an additional $1 million annually for the disposal of its medical waste.
The closure of the Brooks incinerator, a critical facility for waste management in Marion County, has created a ripple effect throughout the area. Without the incinerator’s capacity, local institutions, including hospitals and other healthcare providers, must seek alternative methods to dispose of their waste. This shift has created a strain on existing waste management infrastructure and led to the significant price increase.
“We’re doing everything we can to mitigate the financial burden, but this is an unavoidable situation,” said a representative from Salem Health. The organization emphasized that, despite the increased costs, it remains committed to maintaining high standards of care and ensuring patient safety.
The new rate hike is expected to affect other healthcare providers and businesses in the area, potentially leading to broader economic implications for the region. As the city adjusts to the loss of the Brooks facility, local authorities are exploring long-term solutions for waste management to address the growing challenges.
Salem Health, which serves a large patient population, has already begun looking into more cost-effective alternatives for waste disposal, though finding a viable solution could take time. For now, the health system will absorb the added expense, though it may eventually pass some of the costs on to patients or taxpayers.
In the meantime, both local government and healthcare institutions are closely monitoring the situation, as the impact of the rate hike continues to unfold across the community.
