Hospital Blue Wrap Source Reduction and Recycling

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Hospital Blue Wrap Source Reduction and Recycling
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Blue Wrap

• Blue wrap after use generally is disposed of in
  the medical or solid waste streams.
• It is a clean waste because it has been
  autoclaved.
• A blue wrap recycling process had been developed
  with assistance of HOSPAA and Clean Source for
  California hospitals from 2001 2004.

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• Blue wrap isuniversally used

• Blue Wrap ispolypropylene,which has a recycle
  number 6

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Blue Wrap Recycling

• Clean Source trucks deliver medical supplies to
  hospitals and then backhaul blue wrap.

• Clean Source collects and compacts the blue wrap
  before the bails are transported to a recycling
  site.

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Blue Wrap Recycling in California 2002-2003

• 29,846 pounds (15 tons) of blue wrap were
  recycled by 15 hospitals during 2002.
• 73,153 pounds (36.6 tons) of blue wrap were
  recycled by California hospitals during 2003.
• Then end user stopped taking the large amounts
  and the project tailed off.
• There remains a desire to recycle Blue Wrap.

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Source Reduction

• Some hospitals, like several Sutter Health
  hospitals and John Muir Medical Center, are
  implementing source reduction of Blue Wrap.
• They are autoclaving their surgery tools and
  instruments in hard cases which do not require
  the use of Blue Wrap.
• There will always be some Blue Wrap usage that
  should be recycled.

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Hard Cases Instead of Blue Wrap
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Seton HospitalDaughters of Charity

• WRAP Winner 2001, 2002, 2005
• Expansion of recycling programs to include blue
  wrap, transport packaging, batteries, fluorescent
  tubes, and paper.

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Two Model ProgramsSt Marys and Dominican

• St Marys ongoing since 2003 with 85 recovery
• Keys to Success Best Available Technology and
  Implementing Best Practices
• Custom Compactors Model 2008 baling press,
  specially modified to process spun polypropylene
  and other plastics.
• Recycling 1200 lbs of blue wrap each month.
• 20 reduction in the volume of waste from
  surgical suites.

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Two Model ProgramsSt Marys and Dominican

• Dominican Video Clip
• Previously they recycled 8441 lbs each year
• WRAP AWARD Winner 1997-2005

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Implementation

• Healthcare systems are providing cumulative data
  from purchasing records where possible.
• CHW (31 facilities 27 are in CA)
• Sutter (27 facilities in CA)
• Processors, haulers, and local recycling
  coordinators are being identified based on survey
  results.
• EPA Region 9, DHS and DTSC staff are
  participating in process.
• Kaiser developed initial survey tool.
• Over 20 hospitals in northern CA will participate
  inregional projects
• Each project to begin meeting in the 1st quarter
  of 2007.