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WasteCare Corporation
WASTE REDUCTION & RECYCLING TIPS FOR HOSPTIALS
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Medical waste is one of the most important types of waste management and reduction for the environment. Waste prevention means eliminating waste before it is created. Combined with a comprehensive recycling effort, hospitals can significantly reduce their waste all while turning a profit and saving the environment.
Hospitals also have different waste requirements than other types of industries. “Red bag” waste at a hospital requires strict regulations that hospitals are aware of on a local, state and national level. This material, which is specially handled and can be a high cost item for hospitals, should always be managed as it has been in the past.
Waste Reduction Tips
Fortunately, many waste prevention practices save money. Waste reduction, the combination of waste prevention and recycling efforts, makes good business sense for hospital administrators.
Waste reduction begins by understanding what is purchased, how goods are used, and what is discarded, and then is put to use by finding ways to eliminate, reduce, reuse, and recycle materials. Contrary to popular belief, nonhazardous medical waste accounts for almost 3/4 of the waste generated in a hospital and should not be overlooked.
A good strategy is to target the largest components of the waste stream and do the easy waste reduction steps first. Although waste varies, in most hospitals the largest components of the waste stream are paper (especially cardboard, mixed paper, newspapers, and high-grade paper), plastics (especially film plastic), food waste, and disposable linens (a combination of paper and other materials).
Below are ideas to help you identify waste reduction opportunities at your hospital.
Renegotiate contracts with haulers of "red bag" or regulated medical waste to provide clean and reusable containers to the hospital. Again, “red bag” waste is subject to different regulations and should be not be treated as a recyclable material.
- Buy most hospital-specific cleaning substances in 55-gallon drums that are refilled by the supplier. Use concentrated cleaning solutions that staff mixes as needed. Use washable mop heads instead of disposable ones.
- Improve ordering practices so perishable products don't become outdated and unusable.
- Cut down on multiple subscriptions of medical publications by asking staff to share journals and magazines.
- Set up a reuse area where employees and local schools can pick up used, yet still useful, items such as old binders, folders, paper clips, cassette tapes, plastic containers, etc.
Recycling Tips
Along with preventing waste and recycling, it is important to purchase products made from recycled materials. This makes recycling successful by stimulating demand for recycled materials. Also, consider rewarding employees for their successful waste reduction ideas. Some hospitals reward employees with cash bonuses and recognition.
- Determine if cloth towels can be used and later sold for rags. Replace paper towels with air dryers.
- Use cloth diapers. Use worn diapers as cleaning rags.
- Eliminate duplicate admission kits. Replace disposable admissions kits (water pitchers, glasses, and bed pans) with reusables in patient rooms.
- Use washable linens, bed pads, under pads, gowns, and emesis basins.
- Convert blankets, mattress pads, and quilts into potholders (done by volunteers).
- Set up system where nursing staff evaluate personal care items such as aspirin packets, tissues, shampoo, baby wipes and diapers for reuse (following infection control guidelines) instead of automatically disposing them
- Eliminate unused items from custom surgical packs (once a pack is opened, unused items are discarded).
- Consider switching from disposable to reusable medical instruments (e.g., stainless steel trays, laparoscopic instruments).
- Purchase washable surgical and isolation gowns and sterilization trays.
- Mend gown ties so they last longer.
- Convert surgical drapes into biopsy cloths.
- Sanitize and reuse plastic fracture pans. Sanitize and reuse graduated measuring containers.
- Donate clean, unused operating room (OR) supplies for reuse overseas.
- Use washable plates, eating utensils, glasses and cups for hospital cafeteria and patient service.
- Sell reusable mugs with no-spill lids, then offer discounts to anyone using their own mug.
- Switch to a bulk milk dispenser for patients instead of individual milk cartons.
- Compost kitchen and food waste.
- Keep records on microfiche or double-side copies for paper documents.
- Keep report and memo writing to a minimum and limit distribution.
- Set up a collection system, arrange to have items picked up for recycling, and educate staff.
These are items that are recycled in many hospitals:
Corrugated cardboard
White office paper
Newspapers
Mixed paper
Beverage containers (aluminum cans, glass bottles)
Steel cans (used by food service)
Plastics (work with suppliers so goods are made from or packaged with same plastic resin so they are easier to recycle)
Hospital Case studies: plans in action
- The New York City Department of Sanitation estimates that a l,000-bed hospital switching from disposable to reusable containers for sharp medical instruments would achieve:
Cost savings per year: $175,000
Waste prevention in pounds per year: 34,000
- Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital (341 beds) in Portland, Oregon switched from buying juice in 32-oz glass containers to 60-oz plastic containers that the hospital recycles.
Cost savings per year: $125
Waste prevention in pounds per year: 2,500
- Kaiser Permanente's Northwest Region switched from disposable to cloth diapers. Any hospital making this change needs to follow procedures for infection control and skin care. Kaiser found there was no change in costs or savings it was a cost neutral change:
There was no adverse effect on patient or staff safety.
It decreased the amount of solid waste going to landfills.
- Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon (341-bed facility) purchased several hundred permanent waterproof mattresses to replace about 96 percent of disposable egg crate foam mattresses (it is still necessary to use foam mattresses in some situations). The initial purchase was significant but the decision paid for itself in just one year:
Savings in purchasing costs per year: $80,710
Disposal savings per year: $817
Waste prevention in pounds per year: 16,350
Source: American Hospital Association, An Ounce of Prevention: Waste Reduction Strategies for Health Care Facilities (recommended by several recycling coordinators, includes waste prevention).
Recycling and waste management are important steps for hospital administration to consider and implement before it’s too late. These steps above give a proven cost-effective approach that helps both the business bottom line and the environment.