UCMC: Waste Management
Solid Waste & Material Management: Waste Prevention & Reduction
Health Issues
U.S. hospitals generate approximately 6,600 tons of waste per day, with non-hazardous solid waste representing up to 80% of the total. All waste is preventable to a certain extent and the majority of non-hazardous solid waste can be recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted from landfill or incineration. Since the 1998 Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. EPA and the American Hospital Association mandating reduction in total waste volumes, hospitals have initiated ambitious waste prevention, sorting and recycling programs. Recycling protects natural resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing demand for virgin materials and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators.
The UCMC has a comprehensive waste minimization and recycling program in place and has been meeting or exceeding it’s goals since 2005. For example, in 2005, the UCMC recycling rate was about 4%. At the end of 2008, the recycling rate was 25% and our goal for 2009 is 30%!
The UCMC currently recycles about 90% of all construction and demolition debris. Click here to see our latest report and learn about what we recycle and where it ultimately ends up.