Waste Reduction
Why Focus on Waste?
One of Practice Greenhealth’s goals is to reduce the quantity and toxicity of health care waste – from manufacturing, purchase, and use of products and materials to improved end-of-life management. The nation’s hospitals generate approximately 6,600 tons of waste per day. Though we commonly associate hospitals with regulated medical waste generation, as much as 80 to 85% of a health care facility’s waste is non-hazardous solid waste—such as paper, cardboard, food waste, metal, glass, and plastics—similar to what you would find in other commercial facilities. Therefore, common waste reduction and recycling opportunities may be used to better manage this portion of a health care facility’s waste stream.
In 2000, a hospital’s waste disposal costs ranged from $44 to $68 per ton, according to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This provides a substantial economic incentive for hospitals to implement programs to reduce waste generation and disposal. Often, the easiest and most effective way to do so is through source reduction and environmental preferable purchasing—reducing the volume of materials that come into the facility. This can be achieved by requiring vendors to reduce packaging or using durable packaging (such as plastic totes) that can be repeatedly reused, or by choosing reusable or upgradeable products, versus disposables. Waste volume may also be reduced through recycling, which diverts material from the landfill and can ultimately reduce a hospital’s waste disposal costs. In some instances, recycling certain commodities may even generate income for hospitals if a vendor or recycling center pays for the materials.
The following topics are covered in this section of the website:
Ready to get started reducing waste in your health care facility? Use the information provided to form a team, conduct assessments, perform data collection, and provide education and training to implement a successful waste reduction program.
Learn how green purchasing, also known as Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP), can effectively minimize the volume and toxicity of the products purchased by the facility, and what obstacles to EPP are common in hospitals. Practice Greenhealth has a wealth of information on the EPP team, Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), lists of prohibited chemicals, Preferred Vendor Programs, and environmental certification labeling. Finally, read Practice Greenhealth’s 10 Step Guide to EPP to learn how to incorporate EPP into your waste reduction program, and check out the H2E Products & Services Directory for a list of companies that offer more environmentally friendly products and services.
Find out how recycling can reduce the amount of waste being disposed of by hospitals, and identify specific recyclable materials that may be used at your facility. Practice Greenhealth provides case studies and step-by-step guides to setting up and managing effective recycling programs in a health care setting.
Learn about various solid waste disposal contracting options and recommendations for working with solid waste haulers to minimize costs.
Discover several methods for minimizing waste, including source reduction and reuse, donation and surplus programs. In addition, learn about opportunities to minimize food and yard wastes through composting, as well as strategies to minimize the generation of pharmaceutical waste. Finally, learn about the potential benefits of single-use device reprocessing through a third party reprocessor or an original equipment manufacturer.
Success Stories.
Many health care facilities have already experienced the benefits of waste reduction programs, including the following:
In 1992, the Itasca Medical Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, was a 108-bed community hospital with an attached 35-bed convalescent nursing care facility. “As a result of reduction actions alone, the hospital personnel is preventing 238 cubic yards and over 10,700 pounds of waste. Not including the savings from avoided disposal fees, these actions result in an $11,030 yearly cost savings for the hospital.”
“St Joseph’s Medical Center in California reduced the amount of solid waste going to the landfill by 52 tons in 2004, and recycled more than 128 tons of waste – largely paper, but also pallets, cardboard, and green waste recycling – approximately 21% of the system’s total waste stream.”
“St Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood, Kentucky, reduced paper usage by thousands of sheets through placement of all Administrative, Human Resources, and Nursing Policies and Procedures, as well as their Safety and Infection Control Manual and over 4000 MSDS sheets, on their intranet system instead of making paper copies for multiple binders in numerous departments.”
Has your facility successfully implemented a comprehensive waste reduction program? Help us share your successes with other hospital peers. Contact Practice Greenhealth and we’ll help you write a case study that you can share with your facility, community, and local press.
Key Resources:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—WasteWise Program
Waste Reduction Activities for Hospitals
California Integrated Waste Management Board. February 1999.
Provides examples of several proven, cost-effective approaches to preventing waste and recycling. All strategies have been implemented by a US hospital or have been provided by a medical professional.
Solid Waste Reduction in US Hospitals – Case Studies
Business Briefing: Hospital Engineering & Facilities Management. 2003.
A report by Terry Grogan, Chief, Municipal Waste Reduction, US EPA
Presents WasteWise case studies summarizing waste reduction and recycling success stories from several health care facilities.
Reusable Totes, Blue Wrap Recycling, and Composting
EPA Region 9. 2002.
Provides detailed case studies – including program costs, environmental benefits, and implementation considerations – for several waste reduction strategies.
Waste Minimization, Segregation and Recycling in Hospitals
Health Care Without Harm. October 15, 2001.
Discusses beginning steps that health care organizations can take to minimize waste, thereby cutting potential costs and lessening their impact on the environment and community around them.
Guidelines for Optimizing Waste Segregation
Hollie Shaner, RN, MSA.
Provides a “to do” list for segregating waste.
Waste Minimization Resources
Health Care Without Harm. October 15, 2001.
Presents a list of resources regarding waste minimization in a health care facility.
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