Waste is created in our ministries every day. In service to our 2030 waste goal, to dispose of less than 50% of total waste in landfill, by autoclave or incineration, a Waste Optimization Playbook has been created. This Playbook provides guidance and best practice recommendations to optimize waste management while meeting regulatory requirements, ensuring patient and staff safety, being fiscally responsible and meeting our environmental stewardship goals. When we meet this goal, Providence expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waste by at least 30%, reduce the pollution burden on the communities we serve and save significant financial resources.
Real Estate Strategy and Operations (RESO), in collaboration with Environmental Stewardship, has outlined guidelines, recommendations, best practices suggestions and education about management of the varied waste streams related to our health care operations. These recommendations are based upon science and industry best practices.
Our waste optimization strategy focuses on establishing or enhancing waste streams that are less polluting (and often less expensive) such as recycling, composting, and donations. Additionally, we will focus on source reduction, or using less, purchasing less, and consuming less. This will improve efficiency, decrease waste and associated impact to our communities through landfill and incineration, and reduce the cost of Providence operations.
To achieve optimization, each facility will need to a coordinated approach, ensuring that each ministry has a cross – functional leadership team to create an Action Plan in 2022. Data will be tracked and shared using a centralized WE ACT scorecard. This leadership team will engage caregivers within the facility to educate and ensure compliance.
It takes all Providence caregivers to commit to reducing waste.
More info
If you are interested in learning more about the Waste Optimization playbook and how you can support reducing waste, please reach out to Geoff Glass.