Reasons for Change

Many administrative services such as billing, record keeping and documentation, printing, copying, shipping and receiving generate large amounts of municipal solid waste. Recycling items such as paper, glass, aluminum cans, cardboard, plastics, computer equipment, batteries, fluorescent lamps at workstations, aerosol dust spray, batteries, fluorescent lamps at workstations, aerosol dust spray,  printer and copier cartridges, wood waste and scrap metals will drastically reduce your solid waste output. Administrators plan, coordinate and supervise the functions of health care facilities and the staff.  This provides them the opportunity to implement policies ensuring efficient operation and environmental excellence.

By assessing and implementing one or more of the practices described here and on the accompanying downloadable table, health care facilities can enjoy:

• Reduced regulatory obligations and oversight

• Increased safety and reduced risks for patients, staff, visitors and the community

• Less waste in raw materials, by-products, work space, work flow, and staffing

• Improved cost control at your health care facility 

Opportunities for Action

Specific tips on ways sterilization/reprocessing services can reduce and prevent toxic wastes and resource inefficiencies are listed in this fact sheet’s downloadable/printable table. A sampling of these tips is listed below.

Basic Best Management Practices

• Use vendor take-back programs.

• Sell or donate excess durables to clinics, shelters, and foreign medical aid.

• Place mercury spill kits in mercury use areas if you do not use a clean-up contractor.

• Implement a battery collection program.

• Purchase green certified products for general office cleaning (i.e., desk, counters, computer monitors).

• Use rechargeable batteries.

• Purchase products containing post consumer recycled content.

Next Steps to Improve Administrative Practices

• Implement an environmentally preferable purchasing policy.

• Start a mercury elimination program. Buy mercury-free products and equipment (digital sphygmomanometers and thermometers, tilt and float switches, reed or displacement relays, thermostat probes and plungers)

• Improving waste segregation systems to increase recycling and reduce solid waste.

• Buyand use durable products and materials instead of “use-once, throw-away” items.

• Recycle and purchase products with recycled content.

• Use energy efficient computer equipment, lights, and appliances (Green Star/Lights Program).