August 30, 2024 By Kerstin Mayer No Comments
Waste management in a healthcare setting can be a very difficult, yet rewarding, task. It’s something that requires regular attention to drive awareness and form important daily habits with your staff & patients.
Standardize your program, add more recycling stations, reduce contamination—these are all the typical phrases you’ll hear in the recycling community about how to improve diversion rates and reduce costs at your facility. These are all successful practices; however, there’s many moving parts to each that makes tackling them successfully a little more difficult—but that’s why they brought you on board!
The team at Busch Systems has put together this list of 9 resources to help you run an efficient & effective recycling & waste management program for your healthcare facility.
(Even better, they’re all free!)
This resource is a comprehensive guide that addresses the unique challenges of implementing such a program in a hospital setting. It emphasizes the importance of forming a diverse committee to tackle the issue, ensuring that all voices are heard and increasing the likelihood of staff buy-in. The guide also highlights practical steps, such as using clearly labeled recycling bins and sustainable suppliers, to make the program accessible to patients, visitors, and staff. Additionally, it stresses the need for consistency across all departments and regular evaluations to track progress and make necessary adjustments. Overall, the website offers actionable advice and insights that can help hospitals create effective and sustainable recycling programs.
This guide is designed to help hospitals integrate recycling practices into their patient care settings. It provides a step-by-step approach to navigate the process of starting a plastics recycling program, from initial planning and business decisions to implementation and improvement. Whether you’re just starting or looking to enhance an existing program, this guide offers tools and insights to support your organization in understanding the economic, regulatory, resourcing, and infrastructure nuances involved.
This website offers a wide range of information and support. It details the process of setting up a recycling program, including step-by-step guides and best practices. The project impact section highlights the positive environmental and financial benefits of recycling initiatives, providing motivation and evidence of success. Additionally, the website features various programs that can be tailored to different hospital needs, ensuring that users can find solutions that fit their specific circumstances. Lastly, the resources section is rich with tools, templates, and educational materials, making it easier for users to implement and sustain their recycling efforts effectively.
This case study provides proven strategies for minimizing labor demands and contamination, making recycling convenient and efficient. It offers practical insights with real-world data from waste audits and pilot studies, giving a clear understanding of waste profiles and recycling potential. Additionally, it demonstrates significant cost savings through comprehensive waste minimization and recycling programs. These insights can help establish a successful, sustainable recycling program in any hospital setting.
This webinar is an excellent resource for those looking to start or enhance a hospital recycling program because it offers a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the challenges and solutions in reducing healthcare waste. The panel of speakers shares valuable lessons learned and best practices, including an analysis of waste composition from several community hospitals. Additionally, the webinar features case studies on local recycling collection and circular economy solutions, providing practical examples of how to reuse and eliminate certain medical items and packaging. The extended panel discussion includes insights from a frontline nurse, highlighting real-world constraints and opportunities for implementing change.
This webinar is another excellent because it addresses the significant challenge of managing hard-to-recycle, single-use supplies and packaging in healthcare. It highlights the economic and safety concerns that have historically hindered recycling efforts and emphasizes the shift towards sustainability. The webinar features key elements of an effective implementation strategy and includes case studies from successful programs at institutions like UCLA Health and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. With insights from experts in sustainability and healthcare logistics, you can learn practical approaches to reducing waste and promoting a culture of sustainability within your organization.
This article is an excellent resource because it provides a comprehensive overview of the importance and implementation of recycling in intensive care units (ICUs). The article outlines a clear strategy for recycling within a circular economy, emphasizing smarter product use and extending the lifespan of products. It also offers practical steps for quality improvement through the SusQI methodology, which includes setting goals, studying the system, designing improvements, and measuring impact1. Additionally, the article discusses behavior change models to promote recycling among healthcare staff, addressing logistical challenges and motivating staff to adopt sustainable practices. Overall, it combines theoretical insights with practical advice, making it a valuable guide for implementing effective recycling programs in healthcare settings.
Looking for comprehensive guidelines on managing various types of waste generated in a healthcare setting? Look no further. This case study covers solid waste, regulated medical waste (RMW), recyclables, hazardous waste, controlled substances, universal waste, and construction and demolition debris. Each section details what constitutes each waste type, how to measure and track it, and the associated costs. It also offers special considerations for handling specific waste streams, ensuring regulatory compliance, and optimizing waste management practices. Additionally, it includes practical tips for cost calculation, such as reviewing invoices and tracking weights, which can help hospitals manage their waste more efficiently and sustainably. This thorough approach makes it a valuable tool for improving waste management and promoting environmental sustainability in healthcare facilities.
This website, HealthcareLCA, has a comprehensive and up-to-date repository of environmental impact assessments. It includes impact estimates for over 2,000 healthcare products and processes from more than 250 data sources, covering a wide range of geographical locations and healthcare fields. The database provides detailed information on the environmental impacts of various healthcare activities, including pharmaceuticals, equipment, and procedures, which can help identify key areas for improvement in recycling and waste management. Additionally, the open-access nature of the data and charts supports evidence-based decision-making, allowing users to access and utilize the latest research to develop effective and sustainable recycling programs.
We hope these 9 free resources help you implement or improve the recycling and waste management program at your healthcare facility!
Additional Resources for your Healthcare Recycling Program
Busch Systems Green Thinking Webinar: Advancing the Circular Economy in Healthcare (original air date January 25, 2024)
Busch Systems Green Thinking Ask an Expert about Waste Reduction in Healthcare (original air date February 22, 2024)
Busch Systems Green Thinking Webinar: Making an Actionable Plan (original air date June 13, 2023)
Suggested Recycling Containers for your Healthcare Recycling Program
Join the new era of healthcare waste management with expertly designed recycling & waste stations from Busch Systems.
Busch Systems Waste Watcher bins are perfect for your recycling and waste management program in your healthcare facility
