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By
Aly Merritt
Helping your hospital to be environmentally friendly is not only
responsible eco stewardship; it is also a prudent financial move. Many
of the solutions that are excellent for our planet are also as or more
cost-effective as traditional solutions. Studies have also shown that
environmentally friendly best practices are less detrimental to patient
health than traditional chemical-laden products, and they reduce the
presence of toxins and allergens within your facility, which makes your
hospital a less detrimental place to work and visit.
Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies for a hospital must be able to tend to very specific needs. However, even with those specific cleaning purposes in mind, there are products which are more environmentally friendly than traditional chemical solutions. The EPA recommends that you seek out cleaning products that:
Use a Linen Service
There is a misconception that the only way to keep your hospital's linens sanitary is to use disposable products; however, this practice is both wasteful and unnecessary. You can significantly reduce your consumption of resources and still maintain a sterile environment by using reusable linens in combination with a hospital grade linen service.
While not all hospital grade linen services are environmentally friendly, some have undergone green initiatives to make their facilities and practices environmentally sound. Those that have undergone eco initiatives are able to process their linens to hospital grade sanitization with significantly less water than most in-house linen processing could and without using chemicals that harm the environment. A linen service is also an excellent green move for your hospital because they are able to reduce your waste by providing reusable options and recycling linens which are too worn for further use.
Recycle
Many of the items in the hospital cannot and should not be recycled; however, many of the item s used, especially in administrative functions, can easily be recycled. Set up recycling centers at your nurses' stations, in the cafeteria, and near public trash receptacles. Encourage employees to recycle commonly recyclable items like non-sensitive papers, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. It may seem like such a simple thing, but adding a recycling program to your hospital can significantly reduce your facility's waste and environmental impact.
Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies for a hospital must be able to tend to very specific needs. However, even with those specific cleaning purposes in mind, there are products which are more environmentally friendly than traditional chemical solutions. The EPA recommends that you seek out cleaning products that:
- Minimize presence/exposure of corrosive or irritating substances, known human carcinogens, reproductive toxins, ozone-depleting compounds, and products classified as hazardous waste
- Use renewable resources, like organic, biobased solvents and oils
- Have a low volatile organic compound (VOC) content
- Are biodegradable
- Are not highly flammable
- Are designed for use in cold water, which helps conserve energy
- And have low toxicity in aquatic species (i.e. fish and aquatic invertebrates).
Use a Linen Service
There is a misconception that the only way to keep your hospital's linens sanitary is to use disposable products; however, this practice is both wasteful and unnecessary. You can significantly reduce your consumption of resources and still maintain a sterile environment by using reusable linens in combination with a hospital grade linen service.
While not all hospital grade linen services are environmentally friendly, some have undergone green initiatives to make their facilities and practices environmentally sound. Those that have undergone eco initiatives are able to process their linens to hospital grade sanitization with significantly less water than most in-house linen processing could and without using chemicals that harm the environment. A linen service is also an excellent green move for your hospital because they are able to reduce your waste by providing reusable options and recycling linens which are too worn for further use.
Recycle
Many of the items in the hospital cannot and should not be recycled; however, many of the item s used, especially in administrative functions, can easily be recycled. Set up recycling centers at your nurses' stations, in the cafeteria, and near public trash receptacles. Encourage employees to recycle commonly recyclable items like non-sensitive papers, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. It may seem like such a simple thing, but adding a recycling program to your hospital can significantly reduce your facility's waste and environmental impact.
Aly Merritt is the Marketing Manager at Angelica Corporation, a leader in the medical linen service industry. Originally founded in 1878, Angelica Corporation now products healthcare linen solutions and hospital laundry services nationwide.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aly_Merritt
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