December 22, 2014

Efforts to boost recycling at TriHealth locations haven't gone unnoticed.

TriHealth was designated the 2014 Recycling at Work Program of the Year by the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District, which annually recognizes businesses, schools and communities for making a difference in recycling and waste reduction.

TriHealth has implemented basic recycling programs at Good Samaritan College of Nursing, Good Samaritan Outpatient Center - Glenway, Hospice of Cincinnati Blue Ash administration building and the perioperative departments at Bethesda North and Good Samaritan.

TriHealth has also increased access to basic recycling in the corporate office building on Oak Street and in conference and waiting rooms at Good Samaritan. An additional 1,200 team members and 375 students now have direct access to basic recycling at these six TriHealth facilities.

In addition to basic recycling, Bethesda North operating rooms and central sterile supply are recycling more than 400 pounds of blue plastic surgical wrap a week and collecting clean basins and surgical towels to donate for reuse.

Throughout the hospitals, unused, clean medical supplies, as well as medical equipment no longer needed, are collected and donated to Supplies Over Seas in Louisville, Ky. So far this year, more than 20,000 pounds of patient supplies have been diverted from landfills and donated for use elsewhere. 

Also, programs are in place to capture and recycle metal, batteries, bulbs and electronic waste.

Some programs also have been in place for years. For example, the Bethesda North Laboratory has a recycling program for paper, plastic, aluminum, steel, glass, batteries and cardboard. At one point, when the hospital's recycling program wasn't well supported, team members even took materials to a recycling center after work.