University of Michigan Health Launches Operating Room Plastic Recycling Program

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): As plastic pollution is increasing in our oceans, our food supply, and even our own bodies, we are all being encouraged to reduce the amount of plastic waste we create and recycle whenever possible. One major source of plastic waste is hospitals, but recycling items in a hospital is not as simple as just remembering to put them in a bin. Single-use plastic is everywhere in a hospital. It’s cheap, durable, and helps ensure that items that come in contact with patients are sterile. It’s also incredibly wasteful.

Healthcare systems in the United States generate 5.9 million tons of waste per year. About 25% is plastic, and the vast majority is not recycled. “It’s a big, big problem,” said Tony Denton, the chief environmental, social and governance officer for University of Michigan Health. Operating rooms are a significant contributor, Denton explained. “For us and other hospitals, about 35% of the waste comes from the OR setting,” Denton said. “A number of items that are used in the OR, different types of plastics, and different types of packaging are all based on some kind of plastic element. So it’s a huge area of focus for us.”

To try and reduce that waste, U of M Health launched a recycling pilot program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and the Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital. The OR staff has been trained to identify which items can be recycled, including the “blue wrap,” plastic packaging, pans, gowns, and shoe covers.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com