WellSpan Turns Plastic to Construction Materials

WellSpan Hospital has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. To help with this, the hospital has partnered with the Center for Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CRDC) in York County to deliver garbage bags full of plastic waste to the company.  

According to ABC 27, the hospital packages plastic instruments, gowns and blankets to go to CRDC. There it will go through a shredder and granulator, followed by three more machines until it forms a “hybrid mineral polymer.” 

The sand-like material can then be added to concrete and used in construction materials. The company plans to ramp up its process in York County, ABC 27 reports, saying that it will eventually produce 1.5 tons of the material every hour.  

The recycling process will eventually come full circle, ABC 27 reports. The product made from WellSpan’s plastic waste will go into the concrete used to expand the hospital. 

Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor for the facilities market.