Medical institutions expend volumes of resources for operations and patient care. US hospitals waste production exceeds 5.9 million tons annually. 33 pounds of waste per staffed bed per day is the average generated waste according to Practice Greenhealth.

Sustainable waste management practices result in waste hauling reductions, recycling rebates, and positive environmental impacts for the organization that recycles. Since hospitals are the second largest generator of waste in the U.S., it is imperative to instill sustainable practices into daily operations. Through conscious disposal of waste, the medical institutions of Dallas can help the city realize Zero Waste by 2040, while showing a positive impact on the bottom line.

If you missed out on Healthcare Waste Diversion Strategies Seminar, you can find the presentations by clicking below.

The brochure below provides guidelines that can be followed by almost any healthcare facility.

Click Here to view the Brochure.

Healthcare Specific Programs

Reusable Hard Cases for Surgical Instrumentation

Hospitals produce large volumes of blue sterile wrap waste as a byproduct of surgical kits used in the Operating Room. Blue wrap is not reusable and immediately becomes waste if a recycling program is not available. Reusable hard cases for surgical kits eliminates blue wrap and results in waste avoidance.

Case Study: Parkland Hospital implemented reusable hard cases in 2010. Since instituting the program, waste associated with wrapping sterilization kits has decreased by approximately 95%. Parkland also requires the vendor to provide FDA approved hard cases. This ensures the composition of the hard case can withstand the sterilization process.

Medical Supply Reuse and Donation

With rapidly changing technology, devices in hospitals quickly become "obsolete" and are subsequently replaced in medical centers. The packaging containing medical supplies "expires" even when the supply inside it does not degrade. Medical staff may order surgery kits and not use all of the material or replace some of it with more preferable items creating large volumes of landfill waste and negatively impacting financial bottom lines.

Case Study: One North Texas medical center partnered with Stryker for medical supply and device take-back. Between fiscal year 2012 and May of 2015, the medical center saved over $430,000 through Stryker's medical supply take-back program. An institutional policy was created for proper reuse of supplies and for donation of medical supplies that were not eligible for collection through the take-back program. Project CURE was designated as the recipient organization for excess medical supplies. The North Texas medical center donated over 100 pallets of material during the closure of an aging hospital.

Reusable Sharps Containers

When medical institutions use disposable sharps containers, they pay a premium to have the plastic treated through regulated medical waste (RMW). Reusable sharps containers allow hospitals to send the full containers to a service provider who electronically empties, cleans, and disinfects the containers before returning the containers to the medical institution.  The benefits of switching to reusable sharps containers include:

1) RMW diversion savings

2) increased safety from reducing sharps injuries      

3) decreased greenhouse gas emissions from less plastic manufacturing, packaging, and transportation

Resources on Waste Reduction

These resources cover aspects of waste that are specific to the healthcare setting.

Practice Greenhealth

Health Care Without Harm

Local Recycling Collection

While local office supply, electronic or home improvement stores may offer year-round drop-off bins for recyclables (Click Here for a location near you), there are larger events offered throughout the year. Typically, there are restrictions to these events, but they may offer options to properly dispose of small quantities of HaRMs (hard to recycle materials).

DEA Prescription Take-Back Events

Join the conversation on producer responsibility for pharmaceuticals by getting involved with the Product Stewardship Institute. To see what other Texas communities are doing, click the Here.