Nurses were being exposed to toxic chemicals. The operations of the incinerator were changed, she said. In another instance, Charleston Area Medical Center in W. Va. scaled back operations of a new incinerator after the community expressed concern about the amount of waste being incinerated, said Lillian Morris, director of safety. We conducted a waste audit and found opportunities for overall waste reduction. The public pays for this waste through the loss of landfill space and pollution associated with production and disposal of products that become trash.
Hospitals pay in the form of ever-higher disposal costs, according to the report.
Purchasing reusable products and packaging rather than disposable products is one giant step forward. For example, items like bed pans and respiratory therapy equipment don t have to be disposable. Proper waste segregation is another important component in waste reduction. The majority of waste paper, cardboard, glass, cans, and plastics can be recycled, Shaner said. Hazardous waste such as batteries, chemicals, and solvents must be segregated separately, she said.