HPRC, in collaboration with the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), has just announced the launch of a multi-hospital plastics recycling project in Chicago. Focused on non-infectious plastic packaging and products collected from clinical areas of hospitals, the project seeks to demonstrate a viable business model for recycling healthcare plastics.
Based on previous pilot studies and research, HPRC estimates that upwards of one million tons of non-infectious plastic materials are available for recovery from clinical settings among the over 5,000 hospitals in the continental United States. Additionally, according to a recent survey conducted by HPRC and Practice Greenhealth, two-thirds of hospital respondents indicated that they were collecting 40% or less of what could be recycled from their facilities.
Potential materials being targeted for collection and recycling include primarily polypropylene and polyethylene resins in the form of sterilization wrap, irrigation bottles, basins, pitchers, trays, Tyvek®, and rigid and flexible packaging materials.
The project begins today and will and run through November 30, 2016.
Read more coverage in Recycling Today.
Read the full HPRC press release.