WellSpan Turns Plastic to Construction Materials

WellSpan Hospital has partnered with Center for Regenerative Design and Collaboration to turn plastic waste into concrete.

By Mackenna Moralez, Associate editor


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.  



April 26, 2023


Topic Area: Construction , Sustainable Operations


Recent Posts

EV Charging Station Design: Ensuring Patient Access

The question is not whether to install charging infrastructure — the organization eventually will have to — but how to do it without disrupting patient care.


Sanford Health and Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Merge

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will transition to the Sanford Health name and brand while preserving and expanding health services across the communities it serves.


Sedgebrook Falls Victim to Data Incident

The organization detected the event on May 5, 2025.


How Efficiency Checklists Help Hospitals Save Energy, Water and Money

Keith Edgerton explains how a simple, systematic tool can help healthcare facilities identify savings, support sustainability goals and reinvest in long-term decarbonization.


Designing with Heart: Seen Health Center Blends Cultural Warmth and Clinical Care

Case study: The Alhambra-based facility uses Wilsonart Woodgrains to create a space where comfort, tradition and durability come together for an elevated senior care experience.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.