Tools and resources

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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Anne Arundel Medical Center: Construction debris

• Case Study

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…

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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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Employee engagement toolkit

• Toolkit
• Employee engagement
• Employee Benefit

This Employee engagement resource provides partners with sustainability goals and addresses daily challenges. Learn why it’s important to engage workers and how University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland Clinic, Inova Health, Advocate Health care, and other systems are engaging staff to deepen or broaden the impacts of their sustainability programs. Included in this suite of resources is a…

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Healthy Interiors Goal

• Guide
• Chemicals
• Healthy interiors

Practice Greenhealth’s Healthy Interiors goal promotes public and environmental health and helps accelerate the transformation of the furnishings market to safer products.   What is Practice Greenhealth’s Healthy Interiors goal? Ensure that 30% of the annual volume of furnishings and furniture purchases (based on cost) eliminate the use of formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds,…

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