Electronic Waste Computers, Phones and Medical Equipment
Food Waste
Steel/Tin Cans
Pallets
Plastics 1 – 7
Bottle neck glass
Batteries
Fluorescent Lamps and ballasts
Textiles and Blue Wrap
Shampoo and Soap Bottles
Collection Containers for a Hospital Recycling Program
Recycling at hospitals usually occurs behind the scenes due to space constraints in many areas of the hospital. It is critical that clearly marked recycling containers are strategically placed in the areas established to collect recyclable items. These recycling containers should NOT be placed next to trash receptacles or in areas in the cafeteria, unless there is a concentrated effort to clearly mark the container and place away from the trash.
Larger storage bins can be placed on the dock or other defined locations to collect office paper, newspapers, steel and aluminum cans, plastic bottles and textiles. Corrugated boxes, which often represent 40% to 50% of the waste stream of a hospital, should be baled on-site or placed in a dedicated compactor for recycling. The recycling of corrugated containers is the key element of recycling in a hospital and can play a critical role in the reduction of solid waste disposal costs. This should be the first material to be recycled, along with office paper and textiles. In addition, used fluorescent lamps should be stored in the boxes in which the lamps came in and then collected by a fluorescent lamp recycler for proper disposal.
Desk side containers should be placed in the administrative office areas of the hospital for collecting office papers. In addition there should also be separate containers for collecting batteries, laser and ink-jet printer cartridges, electronic waste materials and separate locked confidential document cabinets. The locked containers are placed strategically in the administrative areas for easy access. It is better to pay a low price per pickup and have all papers put in the container to help limit liabilities due to human error. There are programs in place that can save you up to 20% off your current bill. This can help pay for hauling of your recyclable material. (For more information, please contact ECA).
Equipment Needed to Operate a Hospital Recycling Program
Equipment needed for a hospital recycling program would include a vertical baler and a pallet jack to move the bales of corrugated boxes after they have been baled. We also suggest several rolling totes or 95 gallon rolling bins. This would only be necessary if a separate dumpster or compactor is dedicated for corrugated boxes and blue wrap. ECA can help facilitate this. In most cases with large hospitals, a vertical baler can often show a payback in less than two years, depending on the quantity of corrugated boxes and any other items generated at the hospital and baled. In most cases however, there is no need to process any type of hospital recyclable material other than corrugated boxes or blue wrap.
Hospital Education and Marketing
Education is the key to a successful recycling program in any hospital. Education will help lend to a higher participation rate and a cleaner, more viable recyclable commodity. The diversion from solid waste will lower your garbage bill and reduce your carbon footprint. Provide monthly or quarterly flyers, e-mails and announcements to hospital staff to continually remind them of any program issues. Alert them of contamination problems and notify them of any changes in the program.
Management should also meet with janitorial staff to see what issues arise with the program and how problems can be resolved. Good training programs can be launched via email or the internet also. Similarly, a professional marketing campaign can also be presented with high definition video public announcements touting your hospitals cost savings and healthy sustainable efforts. This marketing campaign can be done in a very cost effective manner that will be sure to get you noticed and drive additional business and revenue your way.
Hospital Waste Audit
Monitoring garbage dumpsters and other waste containers throughout the hospital should be done for one month to verify the viability of the program. It is important to look in the dumpster just prior to pickup by the garbage contractor to see if the dumpster is being used to near capacity. If you have a recycling program established for paper and corrugated boxes, your garbage dumpster may not be full when the garbage contractor picks it up. Remember, whether your garbage container is completely full or nearly empty, you're charged the same amount when they service your dumpster. Then determine whether to reduce the size of your garbage dumpster or the frequency of pickup. This is one way savings can begin to show up in a hospital recycling program.
If you have a garbage compactor, consider having a pressure gauge installed on the ram head hydraulic line. The specifications for the compactor will state what the design maximum pressure should be for the unit. These compactors need annual maintenance because with use over time, they can cause a lower pressure reading on the gauge. Also, without annual maintenance, the compactor will "pack out" prior to design capacity and cost the facility unnecessary pull charges. The cost of installing this pressure gauge will pay for itself in less than a year.
Environmental Consulting Agency Provides All the Details
E.C.A. can provide you with the information on how to put your recycling program together. We have consultants and partnerships that will help you recycle and reduce your carbon footprint. It is great to be sustainable but it also has to make economic sense while maintaining a simple and easy plan to follow.
I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your program simple. Because people tend to be lazy, it is necessary to provide multiple clearly marked containers throughout your buildings. This, followed with targeted effective educational and marketing tools will help ensure your recycling program pays for itself.
Environmental Consulting Agency provides the tools needed to reduce reuse and renew. We can help you create a comprehensive economically feasible recycling program that works! Contact us for a free consultation.
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