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What is Children's doing to revamp the recycling program?
Our recycling program has a second life. This time around, its much more ambitious, robust and exciting! Weve partnered with Save that Stuff, a Charlestown-based company that embraces the cardinal sustainability practice rule: reduce, reuse, recycle.
One of the most important changes weve made is the process by which cans and bottles are collected. Employees experienced some confusion with the Cafés reverse vending machine, which would only accept certain cans or bottles. Save That Stuff has a commingled recycling program that accepts all bottles and cans, rigid plastics, empty yogurt cups, foil wrappers, paper cups and plastic lunch packages. The only item thats not accepted is Styrofoam.
Our main lobby and many floors now have bins for paper, commingled items and trash. Were working to find solutions for areas that can't fit these bins, but our goal is to have them throughout the hospital. Cardboard and white paper are also being recycled; our goal this year is to recycle one million pounds of white paper. Colored paper and magazines aren't recycled yet, but were creating a plan for them. We're also formulating a plan for recycling items such as plastics and animal waste in the research labs.
Our most ambitious project is to begin recycling in the patient rooms. A large volume of our waste is generated there, and many plastic bags are being thrown away. Our goal is to make such a program kid-friendly by placing pictures on each bin and fun facts to show kids what a difference recycling makes.
We ask that employees be patient with our recycling efforts as we implement programs, and to keep the following in mind: Ensure that all containers with food or liquids be emptied and rinsed before tossing in the commingled bins. Dispose of white office paper in the gray locked bins located on each floor and don't throw trash in these bins. You can also help by following the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle).
Thanks for asking!
—Tony Johnson, director of Environmental Services
Got a question? Email news@childrens.harvard.edu.
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