Developing a lab or hospital waste minimization program can be intimidating.

At first glance, the waste stream generated in labs or hospital areas is large, out of the ordinary, and in some cases, hazardous. There are, however, multiple opportunities to capture valuable feedstock and reduce the environmental impact of these highly active centers. Given the right tools and understanding of proper procedures, any university can tackle the task of creating a successful recycling program for labs and hospitals. This session covered:

-The impetus for developing a lab or hospital waste minimization program.
-Which materials can be recycled and successful strategies for partnering with vendors to recycle material.
-Logistics and safety best practices.
-Tips for proper labeling and effective communication including strategies for engaging and educating staff on proper segregation and collection procedures.

Presenters

Tom Badrick, President, Badrick Consulting
Christine von Kolnitz Cooley, Sustainability and Recycling Program Manager, Medical University of South Carolina
Amorette Getty, Postdoctoral Researcher; Staff Advisor, LabRAT, University of California-Santa Barbara
Katie Maynard, Sustainability Coordinator, University California-Santa Barbara
Moderated by Rob Gogan, Harvard University

Presentations [PDF]
Audio/Video File [wmv file]

The CURC webinar series is made possible through the generous support of Alcoa.

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and the aluminum can is the only package that can be used, recycled, and back on store shelves in as few as 60 days. What’s more, there is no limit to the number of times a can may be recycled into a new can. Alcoa and the aluminum industry have a goal to increase can recycling rates in America to 75% by 2015. To hit this goal, Alcoa and the Alcoa Foundation have distributed more than 75,000 recycling bins, launched our Make an Impact calculator to help families live more sustainably, created the Aluminate™ recycling app and, in the last five years, invested nearly $3.5 million in community recycling programs across the country! If every American recycled just one more can per week, we would reach our goal! Join us in this important effort, download the app, and recycle!

Together, we CAN make a difference! Visit www.alcoarecycling.com.