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Open this resource to see an example of a poster on regulated medical waste disposal from Overlook Medical Center.
Type: Resources
(Less waste toolkit) Hospitals are pouring, burying, burning and cooking garbage made up of plastics, chemicals, paper, food, needles, packaging and lots of electronic equipment. With rising waste removal fees, beach wash-ups, medical waste incinerators identified as a major source of mercury in the environment and the Associated Press’ recent investigation on pharmaceutical waste in the country’s drinking water, it’s undeniable that “away” is a rotary that loops right back to where we started. Steps hospitals take to make less “stuff” can reduce dollars thrown in the trash and help to… Read More
Type: Resources
Regulated medical waste (RMW) is regulated at the state level, with each state defining what material is legally considered to be RMW (also called infectious waste, biohazardous waste or special medical waste (depending on the state) within its borders. The state regulation also typically lays out the appropriate or acceptable treatment or disinfection methods for different classes of medical waste, as well as the proper storage, labeling, manifesting and disposal requirements for RMW. The agency defining RMW can vary by state but is typically the state department of health or the state… Read More
Type: Resources
Our waste tracker tool will help you to conduct a baseline audit and track progress going forward. Utilizing this tool, you will be able to track your food waste streams, determine the monetary value of what is wasted, and identify opportunities for reducing waste.
Type: Resources
Increased awareness around the presence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water has resulted in closer scrutiny and increased regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical waste. Evidence of feminization of fish raised a red flag and resulted in more studies, closer scrutiny, and concern for human health and the environment. The U.S. Geological Survey has done extensive work to characterize the kinds and volumes of pharmaceuticals ending up in waterways. Learn more at U.S. Geological Survey's Emerging Contaminants Project.
While hazardous pharmaceutical waste management is a headline news item at… Read More
Type: Resources
To become a more sustainable organization, Spectrum Health hired a sustainability coordinator to address recycling. Spectrum Health’s goal was to reduce its overall waste stream by 30 percent by focusing on regulated medical waste reduction and recycling efforts.
Type: Resources
Recent hospital data demonstrates that recycling in the OR can generate large volumes of recyclables—in excess of 1000lbs of medical plastics weekly at one large NYC institution with more than 40 ORs/surgical procedure areas. At an average cost of $121 per ton for solid waste disposal and a price tag of $68 per ton for recycling the same material a hospital might pay nearly twice the price for medical plastics disposal if the facility does not choose to recycle.
There are several finite steps an organization can follow to set up and implement a medical plastics recycling program in the OR…
Type: Resources
As a component of an application to apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a new construction project, Anne Arundel Medical Center, a regional health system headquartered in Annapolis, Md., set a goal to achieve a 50 to 75 percent diversion rate of demolition and construction debris. The medical center enrolled in our Less Waste Challenge and set a goal for construction and demolition debris recycling. The project team incorporated diversion and recycling specifications in construction management contracts and tracked and reviewed progress regularly.… Read More
Type: Resources
University of Maryland Medical Center has been using reusable gowns and basins in their operating rooms for 15 years. In 2007, UMMC staff started a green team to decrease the facility's negative impact on the environment. A review of the hospital's waste disposal system led administrators to reduce the amount of waste the facility generates.
Type: Resources
The University of Washington Medical Center provides a case study in utility cost reduction involving assessment of and improvements to its HVAC, water, and waste management systems.
Type: Resources
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