WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: COST SAVING WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE NINETIES

C. Kennedy*, M. Garcia, S. Vas, P. Pohland, J. Conly, and The Environment Action Committee(EAC).

The Toronto Hospital, Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Body substance precautions(BSP) were introduced at our two site 1,230 bed tertiary care hospital in 1989. Guidelines were issued defining biohazardous waste which was incinerated on site. The large volume of waste generated was not anticipated. With proposed legislation to phase out existing provincial hsopital incinerators with inadequate air pollution controls, and municipality reduction targets of 25% in 1993 and 50% by 2000 in landfill waste, alternative styrategies for waste management were required. External audits of biomedical waste were conducted in 11 hospitals in 1992 and revealed that, at our institution, 54% of the bags contents were not biomedical. Our Board of Trustees recommended that an Environmental Action Committee(EAC) be formed. The EAC with broad representation for the hospital staff and a representative from the community developed a program. Kitchen waste was picked up by a farmer and surplus food was sent to a community mission. Cardboard recycling was initiated in 1991, followed by paper, batteries, food and beverage glass and metal, polystyrene, x-ray film, used furniture and equipment and toner cartridges. Intensive educational programs were developed for all staff including inservices, the production of 2 waste management videos, articles and cartoons in the hospital newsletter, and an Infection Control bulletin. Areas found to produce high volume were targeted for inservicing initially such as the Ors, haemodialysis units and the intensive care units. Hospital wide inservicing was conducted by Infection Control and Housekeeping. The 25% landfill reduction reduction target was met. The volume of biohazardous waste from the General site was reduced from 224,000 kg in 1990 to 156,000 kg in 1993. Similarly there has been a 55% reduction at the Western site during the last 6 months compared to the first 6 months of 1993. Monthlywaste audits of all departments have been arranged. Housekeeping now has dedicated staff, solely responsible for recycling pick-up. With these measures, the hospital has recognized a $59,000 cost savings during fiscal 1992-1993. Biomedical waste now accounts for only 13% of total waste. With continued efforts to handle our waste in an environmentally and economically responsible manner, we are supporting the 3 R's of waste management, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.