Surgery generates about one-fourth of all the waste a hospital generates — from clear plastic to blue wrap to white cardboard, according to an article on the Outpatient Surgery website.
Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., has adopted a clean-waste recycling program for its 29 operating rooms.
Any clean waste from items opened during a case — paper, cardboard, plastic — gets placed in a special blue trash container with a clear liner.
Before the patient enters the OR, the clear bag is tied off and the container is rolled into a semi-sterile area. At the end of the case, the clean recyclable waste gets placed on top of the dirty case cart, which is then transported to sterile supply processing.
The Evolution of Lighting in Patient Care
HealthPartners and Essentia Health to Combine Organizations
Three Oaks Hospice Reports Email Breach
Achieving Better Treatment Spaces Through Co-Design
Prisma Health to Acquire 36 Urgent Care Sites in South Carolina from Novant Health