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.
IAQ and Infection Mitigation: Plans Into Actions
Case Study: How NYU Langone Rebuilt for Resilience After Superstorm Sandy
Dayton Children's Hospital Announces New Rehabilitative Services Building
The Debate on Laundering Microfibers in Healthcare
Construction Begins for New Cancer Center at OhioHealth's Administrative Campus