Exclusive article by Jamie Costello at EMRIndustry
Considering the amount of people that flood through hospitals each day and the type of equipment that’s being used, it’s no surprise that hospitals are prone to giving off toxic fuels each day. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s around 7,000 tonnes. These are extraordinary amounts but there are ways that they can help to reduce this figure.
It may seem like a large project in order to revamp a hospital to become more sustainable but the changes can be large and small. Here are some steps that can allow hospitals to go green:
Use Local Food Produce
There are hundreds of people that are served through cafeteria’s, both patients and visitors. Where the food is sourced can have a rather large effect on the environment as a whole as using local farmers means less gasoline is fueled in the air from shipping and refrigerating products that are arriving from other areas. Hospitals can also use local companies to dispose of their waste correctly.
Water Conservation
There are several methods that can be introduced that can help to conserve water within hospitals and keep the water clean. For example, simple methods such as replacing the facilities in the washrooms like toilets and showers with facilities that are more water-efficient is a start. The less water that’s used during flushes and showers can increasing conserve water.
Energy Save
It’s not impossible for hospital’s to reduce their energy use, despite the amount of facilities that are being used on a daily basis. Electricity can account for over 50% of the costs produced for a hospital which makes them prime producers of carbon emissions. However, ways hospitals can reduce can be put in place. For example, heating and cooling systems can be re-programmed to produce less energy whilst lights bulbs can be changed for energy saving purposes. Most of all, ventilation systems are key to making sure the environment in the hospital is healthy but the maintenance of them can be key to saving energy costs and producing harmful gases.
Revise Waste Disposal Methods
Hospitals produce vast amounts of waste on a daily basis which can make it a challenge to dispose of, especially considering that much medical waste requires to be disinfected before being disposed of. Incineration is an example of how medical waste is treated but this can release further fumes into the air which can be harmful. Instead, microwaving or autoclaving can be seen as alternative methods to dispose of waste in a greener way.
Essentially, being more sustainable as a hospital can not only help the environment but it can also become a less costly. Review processes and discover ways that the hospital can become more eco-friendly.
