Waste Stream Volume

Waste Stream Reduction Initiatives

Key to achieving our green goals is reducing the waste stream in all aspects of hospital operations – from food to garbage to medical equipment.  We've instituted comprehensive recycling programs and continually educate staff so we can meet our goals to reduce the total volume of waste and increase the percentage of waste that is recycled. Over the past 3 years we've reduced the solid waste stream by 12% and increased recycling by 13%.

Graph shows the continuous progress in managing our waste stream over the last 3 years.

Fletcher Allen's Recycle and Reuse Initiatives

The increase in our recycling rate is due to a variety of initiatives. These include accepting a greater range of plastics, introducing recycling in the Operating Rooms and patient rooms, and starting a program to use reusable "sharps" containers.

Our medium term goal is to recycle more than half our waste stream while reducing our overall waste stream.

Composting at Fletcher Allen

We ship more than 400 tons of compostable materials annually to a nearby compost & community farming facility. In addition to food waste, most of the items we use to serve food in our cafeterias is compostable. The compost we use on our grounds comes from the same facility.  We expect to increase this amount annually.

Drug Waste Program at Fletcher Allen

Fletcher Allen is one of the few hospitals in the nation to establish a comprehensive drug waste program. We capture the majority of all drug waste and dispose of it according to best management practices. This program has been implemented in all high priority areas including pharmacies and locations that prepare and administer chemotherapy agents.