Please read the insightful article (below) from Practice Greenhealth -News, Disinfection & Sterilization, Sterile Processing. This article discusses Single-Use Device Reprocessing and how it diverted more Than 873 tons from the medical waste stream. Even with reprocessing and its benefits, the waste must eventually be dealt with. This is where Red Bag Solutions can add value to the sustainability initiatives of a healthcare facility. Some of the environmental benefits Red Bag Solutions technology offers:
- Reducing the volume of waste by up to 90% and weight up to 30% respectively by utilizing patented technology to simultaneously grind and sterilize the waste. This means the waste is sterilized and compacted taking less space in the dumpster and landfill.
- Reducing the volume means that the waste containers do not fill as quickly and need to be emptied as frequently thereby, saving money.
- Reduction in the amount of greenhouse gasses produced from fewer trucks needed to haul away the processed medical waste benefitting the air quality in the community.
- Guaranteed sterility of the processed waste insures that there are no remaining pathogens, viruses, bacteria or infectious agents being placed in the landfill. Good for the environment!
Reprocessing and reduction of waste are complimentary approaches to the handling of regulated medical waste. Once a device has reached the end of its useful life it can be processed in an environmentally friendly and responsible way. The healthcare industry is realizing that environmental sustainability initiatives and cost savings are not mutually exclusive goals. Going forward, it is good to embrace creative ways of reducing waste and improving the quality of our local environment. This can be accomplished while simultaneously managing cost containment measures within a healthcare facility.
Michael Smith
Enjoy the article.
Single-Use Device Reprocessing Diverted More Than 873 Tons from Medical Waste, Report Finds
Practice Greenhealth recently announced the release of its 2015 Environmental Excellence Awards Sustainability Benchmark Report, a detailed analysis of the achievements of the 2015 Environmental Excellence award winners. The report summarizes the sustainability achievements of 220 hospitals that are setting the standard for healthcare environmental stewardship. Available for download by Practice Greenhealth members, the report is based on the data covering performance in 2014.
The report describes how industry leaders are successfully reducing their environmental footprint, achieving financial savings, and changing the culture of their organizations as they address environmental issues and opportunities in areas as diverse as Energy, Waste Management, Safer Chemicals, Water Reduction, Healthy Food, Green Buildings, and Climate Impact.
The report also demonstrates how leading hospitals are developing organizational leadership, and effective purchasing strategies for environmentally preferred products to affect change across these content areas. These leading hospitals are embedding sustainability into the culture of their organizations through the decisions, actions, and results described in the report.
The extensive data in Benchmark Report presents environmental accomplishments and substantial financial savings in ways that can inspire and guide all hospitals to triple bottom line success in their own operations.
Savings are also broken down on a range of programs that demonstrate the sustainability mission, including diverting 92,205 tons of waste from the landfill through recycling, saving nearly $4 million.
The Benchmark Report can provide a snapshot in time of the state of sustainability in award-winning hospitals across America, or can be used to answer very specific questions, such as: • How did these hospitals save more than $76 million? • How much waste per adjusted patient day, per bed or per square foot are these facilities generating? • How did single-use device reprocessing divert over 873 tons from medical waste, while saving award-winning hospitals $29.2 million? • Which types of green cleaning products are hospitals purchasing? • Which chemicals and attributes are avoided in purchasing practices and policies? • How much energy are facilities using per square foot?
This is the only report that provides comprehensive data illustrating the progress of sustainability across the health care sector. In addition to metrics, the report shares sustainability trends and emerging areas of focus. For example, the report looks at which plastics are most likely to be recycled in the operating room and which reusable items are most likely to be purchased.
“Our Sustainability Benchmark Report inspires our Members by demonstrating what’s possible in health care sustainability. The concepts, approaches, and data help them identify their opportunities for improvement and establish their sustainability priorities and goals for the coming years,” says Jeffrey Brown, executive director of Practice Greenhealth. “By showing what these 220 hospitals have accomplished, the report provides an excellent indication of the environmental and financial benefits that can be realized across the full sector of over 5,500 hospitals across the country.”
All of Practice Greenhealth’s 1,300 member hospitals share a commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly practices. Practice Greenhealth supports their environmental, human health, and financial achievements through the sustainability programs it provides.
Source: Practice Greenhealth
