An analysis published in 2010 estimated that hospitals in the United States create just under 34 pounds of waste per staffed bed per day, which translates to approximately 11.5 billion pounds of trash each year, according to Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News website.
The OR generates a substantial portion of that waste, with estimates as high as one-third of a hospital’s total
A nurse at a Wisconsin healthcare facility revamped her hospital’s approach to waste management.
When she traced the path that discarded items took from the OR to the hospital’s recycling vendors, she discovered that OR staff and environmental services were sorting trash from recyclables, just not correctly.
The Most Read Healthcare Facilities Today Articles of 2024
Cybersecurity, Generative AI Among Top Risks for Healthcare Organizations in 2025
Facility Condition Assessments and the Bottom Line
NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Completes Energy Efficiency Upgrade
Saint Vincent Hospital Upgrades Its Security Systems