Tools and resources

Hudson Hospital & Clinic Hudson, Wisconsin: Recycling

• Waste
• Solid waste
• Recycling
• Case Study

Environmental degradation of the St. Croix River prompted community leaders of its border communities to come together to address the issue and resolve to improve river health by improving operations in their respective organizations. Hudson Hospital & Clinic successfully implemented a paper use reduction initiative and enhanced recycling program, which became a building block to ongoing…

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How-to guide: Recycling step-by-step

• Waste
• Solid waste
• Recycling
• Guide

This step-by-step guide will help a health care facility achieve a 15 percent recycling rate compared to total waste. 

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Partners HealthCare: Filtered water

• Less Waste
• Waste
• Solid waste
• Water
• Tap water access

The adoption of a plumbed-in filtered water system into Partners HealthCare McLean Hospital, in Boston, has resulted in the elimination of plastic bottles. In the inpatient areas alone: The FY08 baseline water per patient day expense was $0.97. By FY2011, patient per day expense was reduced to $.02. Annual recurring savings estimated at $38,000 (comparing FY08 to subsequent years). The hospital…

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Partners HealthCare and Roxbury Technology: Toner and ink recycling case study

• Case Study
• Waste
• Solid waste

Partners HealthCare, based in Boston, uses thousands of imaging products (ink and toner cartridges) for printing, copying, and faxing. Ink and toner cartridges, when not recycled usually end up in landfills. As part of its sustainability and Patient Affordability program, Partner’s sought to grow a closed loop manufacturing process in partnership with Roxbury Technology and to prevent cartridges…

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Vidant Health: Waste reduction case study

• Waste
• Solid waste
• Case Study

Critical access hospitals such as the 6-bed Vidant Bertie and the 49-bed Vidant Chowan in eastern North Carolina, can make significant improvements in waste reduction despite the relatively small volumes of waste they generate. By installing a recycling dumpster at Bertie and compactors at Chowan, EVS Manager Lizbeth White has seen a 34 percent decrease in cost of solid waste removal at one…

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How to divert construction and demolition debris

• Less Waste
• Waste
• Construction and demolition debris
• Guide

Implement a construction and demolition debris recycling program for major renovations and new construction to achieve a recycling and diversion rate of at least 80 percent. Construction and demolition debris is bulky, non-compactable material generated during construction and renovation projects. This material includes ceiling tiles, bricks, glass, carpeting, cabinetry, cement and much more.…

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How to reduce regulated medical waste

• Guide
• Waste
• Regulated medical waste
• Toolkit

(Less waste toolkit) Because regulated medical waste (RMW) or red bag waste can cost between five to 10 times more than solid waste, over-use of red bag waste receptacles is like throwing away dollars. Depending on current practices, hospitals have saved thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars by addressing container over-use. If a facility generates more than 10…

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Defining waste and material streams

• Guide
• Waste

(Less waste toolkit) This resource breaks down different types of waste, how they are generally disposed of, costs, etc. and offers recommendations to streamline the processes, improve environmental impact, and cut costs. 

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Less waste how-to guide

• Waste
• Medical Waste
• Regulated medical waste
• Hazardous and universal waste
• Construction and demolition debris
• Solid waste
• food waste
• Pharmaceutical Waste
• Reuse, donate, or sell
• Composting
• Recycling
• Toolkit

(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’…

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EPA Hazardous Waste page

• Waste

Simply defined, a hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment. Hazardous waste is generated from many sources, ranging from industrial manufacturing process wastes to batteries and may come in many forms, including liquids, solids gases, and sludges. EPA developed a regulatory definition and process…

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