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G R E E N
P R A C T I C E S
are as good for the environment as they are for your
bottom line.
1. Recycle. Surgicare
Crosspointe in Evansville,
Ind., has cut its waste disposal costs in half by recycling the many non-hazardous materials that accumulate when you open a
case, including wrappers,
peel packs, suture packets,
IV bags and saline bottles,
EASE OF USE A hands-free receptacle with a foot lever makes it easy for
staff to discard contaminated waste.
says OR Manager Angie Field, RN.
You'll find recycling bins inside and outside the Seaford (Del.)
Endoscopy Center. Inside, there's a trash can dedicated to recycling
magazines, juice and soda cans, plastic wrap from patient gowns and
plastic bags, says Nurse Manager Joyce Mackler, RN, MSN. Outside the
center, staff place shredding and shipping cartons in 2 large recycling
containers. That's not all. The endo center also recycles batteries and fluorescent light bulbs by taking them to the local recycling center, says
Ms. Mackler. Even the staff lounge is a green haven: Staff don't use
paper or plastic plates and cups. "Instead, we use regular dishes and silD E C E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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