Some interesting suggestions for hospitals going green, in particular with respect to reducing waste and curtailing water consumption:
Wasteful ways
A study written by Dr. Martin Markay, a gastrointestinal surgeon at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, stated the health industry is the second-largest contributor to landfills after the food industry.
Hospitals generate about 6.9 million tons of waste annually, according to Slate.com's environmental blog, The Green Lantern. The cost has spurred hospitals to introduce a number of waste reduction initiatives, such as:
* Replacing disposable cups, plates and tableware in cafeterias and food service with reusable items.
* Using rechargeable batteries in equipment whenever possible.
* Reprocessing and remanufacturing certain low-risk devices, such as elastic bandages, pressure infuser bags, tourniquet cuffs and general-use surgical scissors.
Water damage
The American Hospital Association reports that there are nearly 11,000 registered and community hospitals in the United States. A study on Boston-area hospitals found they used 40 to 350 gallons of water per patient per day, according to EnergyStar.gov.
"With the water and sewer costs of these facilities averaging over 20 percent of total utility costs, the more efficient hospitals can deliver quality patient care at lower cost," reads the website.
Hospitals use the most water in their laundry facilities for items like bed linens and patient gowns. Studies show that a hospital with more than 300 beds can use between 21 and 22 pounds of textiles per patient per day, which is why laundry accounts for most energy and water use.
Eliminating laundry services isn't feasible, so many hospitals are taking steps to lower the energy, water and chemicals needed to clean textiles and extend their life cycle. Some of the changes include:
* Using surgical gowns, barrier sheets and other products made from reusable, more durable and energy-efficient textiles. A hospital will spend less energy, use fewer chemicals for cleaning and will need to replace items less frequently.
* Replacing old single-use underpads that are used to protect hospital beds with high-tech versions that require just one pad to do the job of three.
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