Cape Breton District Health Authority Solid Waste Management
Cape Breton District Health Authority Includes the following hospitals within CBRM: Cape Breton Regional Hospital Northside General Hospital New Waterford Consolidated Hospital Glace Bay General Hospital Harbourview Hospital Taigh Na Mara
Number of Staff Employed at District Hospitals Approximately 2500 people are employed either full time or on a part time basis. All staff employed by the Cape Breton District Health Authority are required to comply with Solid Waste policy s established.
Cape Breton District Health Authority Solid Waste Management Compliance CBRM s Solid Waste Department imposed Waste Management restrictions on all Cape Breton District Health Authority Hospitals located in CBRM. Recycling (Blue Bag Materials): May 2004 Organic Waste Materials: September 2006
Cape Breton District Health Authority Solid Waste Management Compliance ALL hospitals disposing of waste in CBRM were required to sort their disposal materials according to municipal and provincial guidelines. These materials could no longer be disposed of in with the residual mixed waste stream.
Responds to CBRM s Solid Waste Compliance As a result, the District had to respond /deal with the following issues: Increase in the number of random waste inspections conducted on their loads at CBRM s Recycling Facility, Mixed Waste Transfer Station and Organics Facility
Problems Encountered Many blue bag and residual mixed waste loads were often rejected due to high levels of contamination and sent back to hospital sites across the district for sorting. The following items were often mixed in with blue bag materials and/or residual mixed waste: Biomedical waste from surgical procedures IV tubing, bandages, gauze Medical waste, incorrect sorting of materials, etc
Problems Encountered Management across District were required to go to Green Island Recycling Ltd. several times due to contaminated loads. Extra hauling fees became an issue. Disposal items were returned to the offending facility for proper sorting before they would be accepted for disposal. (This fee was in addition to their current waste handling fees they were paying and tipping fees.)
Develops a Plan The Environmental Service Department was assigned the responsibility to develop, implement and maintain a District wide solid waste management plan. The Environmental Service Department began working with CBRM s Solid Waste Department as they began to formulate a plan. A multi-disciplinary green committee was established.
Cape Breton District Health Authority: Develops a Plan The Environmental Service Department met with Solid Waste Management staff on a regular basis as they devised their solid waste management program. Many in-services took place with Management teams as they devised and formulated the district strategy. The Environmental Service Department s Education and Communication Plan was developed with guidance from Solid Waste however, the implementation was done in-house by the Environmental Service Department.
Develops a Plan To reduce contamination, avoid load rejections and reduce visits to CBRM Waste Management Facility s, the District devised an Action Plan that included: A District wide solid waste management program that would ensure compliance at each hospital. A mandatory Education and Communication program for all new employees, departments, & wards. (Sessions are conducted every two weeks and have become integrated into the Districts education program.
District-Wide Plan A Procedures Manual was developed inhouse by the District that outlines how General, Biomedical, Confidential, Recyclable and Organic Waste materials should be managed across the district: Information in the Procedures Manual includes: Definition of waste, procedures that must be followed and the handling, storage and disposal of waste materials.
District-Wide Plan The Environmental Service Department developed and implemented an in-house enforcement program at each hospital to ensure compliance. The development of a District-Wide system that would track where a load of contaminated waste originated so that any extra cost(s) could now get deferred back to the offending hospital s unit, ward and/or department at fault was established.
Challenges Getting all staff (casual, permanent, office, medical, etc.) on board with a District- Wide solid waste management program. Doctors, Nursing Staff, Emergency Care Workers and other Medical Staff are often paying attention to patients and not where they are tossing disposal materials.
Challenges Staff Attitude: Staff are resistant to change. Not doing it at home so why should they do it in the workplace. Inconsistent waste separation containers were in place throughout the District. Non-compliance by some hospitals within the District.
Challenges Staff confusion about where an item should get placed for disposal in the waste stream. Confusion with who s responsible for proper source separation in each hospital, department, ward, etc. No one wanted to assume responsibility.
Future Challenges The district is currently looking at ways to manage waste disposed of by patients - this is on-going. Maintaining the program. Sustaining commitment and staff compliance to District waste management policy s. Continually looking at ways to improve solid waste management.
Cape Breton District Health Authority Communication/Education CBDHA s solid waste management policy is communicated to all new employees. Mandatory information sessions are held on a continual basis to ensure ALL employees are informed. Solid waste has become part of the Districts continuing education. Information is Regularly placed in weekly bulletins, newsletters and are posted on the website.
Cape Breton District Health Authority Communication/Education A mandatory information session is/has been conducted with all staff employed by the District. All new staff hired to work for the Cape Breton District Health Authority receives a mandatory information session that includes solid waste management as part of their orientation.
Cape Breton District Health Authority Communication/Education A Waste Management Self-Directed Learning Package is provided to new employees during their mandatory orientation session. Current employees receive package during their mandatory workshop. This package provides information about the Districts solid waste management program, waste separation streams, what goes where, how materials get disposed of, why they have to sort waste etc.
Their Program A uniform solid waste management program exists in every hospital across the District. Consistent waste separation stations & containers have been placed in each hospital. Bag colors and container colors to represent each waste stream is the same in each hospital. Clear, understandable signage is posted on or near each waste separation container.
Their Program Frequent audits are conducted in order to determine container requirements, monitor progress and assess on-going education requirements.
Color of Bags used for waste streams: Different color bags are used to distinguish the waste stream: Organic waste: Clear compostable bags Paper products: BLUE Plastic materials: BLUE Regular mixed waste: CLEAR Biomedical Waste: YELLOW Shredded confidential paper: BLUE Bag colors are consistent through out the District
Regional Hospitals Separation Station
Organics Signage
Paper Products Blue Bag
Mixed Plastic & Glass
Garbage/Trash Sign
Battery Disposal
Florescent Bulb Disposal
Kitchen area
Recycling Printer Cartridges
Biomedical Waste
Additional Waste Management Initiatives Promotes and encourages Reducing & Reusing. Encourages the purchase of products from environmentally conscious manufactures that use post consumer recycle products and reduced packaging. Purchases products that can be reused or recycled instead of having an end use in the residual mixed waste stream. Requests healthcare products that are PVC, mercury and latex free. 90% of the Environmental Services Cleaning Chemicals that are used by the hospital are green approved.
Additional Waste Management Initiatives Requests Green Purchasing Policy. Computers, monitors & other electronics are repaired and/or used as replacement parts until there is nothing left that can be recovered or used from the equipment. All furniture is refurnished and repaired until it is no longer repairable. Once an item is rated un-repairable then it get s disposed of properly. They purchase office equipment with automatic energy savings devices Energy Star.
Additional Waste Management Initiatives District plans to eliminate the use of Styrofoam packaging and the usage of styrofoam cups and plates across the District. District plans to reduce their paper usage by 20% this year. (sending memos, letters etc, electronically) Printing only when necessary. The paper towel and toilet paper they use through out the District is made out of 100% recycled content. The products they use have been developed from their recycled paper products the district captures in their recycling stream.
Additional Waste Management Initiatives Example of Recyclable Purchased Products Printer Toner, Ink Cartridges Batteries (all kinds) SPD sterile blue wrap The Environmental Services Department takes care of the collection of these materials from each hospital. Hospitals have an assigned schedule for when these items will be collected.
Additional Waste Management Initiatives Reducing and Reusing Initiatives: Electronic Correspondence Double sided copying Bring your own mug campaign Bring lunches and snacks in reusable containers
Cape Breton District Health Authority Impact on Districts Waste Generation Findings for Cape Breton Regional Hospital only: Mixed waste decreased from being collected 3 times weekly to only being collected weekly. 8 to 10 organic containers are being diverted three times a week.
Impact on Districts Waste Generation Findings for Cape Breton Regional Hospital only: All biomedical waste is diverted properly. 3-4 tonnes of shredded paper gets diverted by the District. In the past, these materials were burned in the incinerator. Blue Bag materials has increased from being collected 3timesa week to 4 times a week.
Cape Breton District Health Authority The Environmental Service Department continues to implement and work with each hospital and their staff to ensure proper solid waste management is taking place across the board. They continue to make Solid Waste Management a top priority. They work each day to achieve, maintain and excel in their on-going commitment to the environment.
Conclusion The dedicated commitment by District Management and the Environmental Service Department to ensure the District's Solid Waste Management Plan gets implemented is key to the hospitals success. Staff responsible for the implementation of the solid waste management practices within the District are dedicated to the District s Solid Waste Management Program.
Congratulations On behalf of CBRM s Solid Waste Management, we would like to extend a well deserved congratulations to The Cape Breton District Health Authority for winning Institution of the Year Award for 2008. Some of the Environmental Service Staff involved in the District s Solid Waste Management are here today. Keep up the great work!!