On July 1st, Memorial Medical Center (MMC) launched a recycling program that has generated 3.2 tons of recyclable material in one month. Chief Executive Officer John Harris explains, “This 200-bed hospital is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – it’s a busy place. We have more than 50 departments, and all of them are engaged, excited and supportive of the recycling effort. We want to be good corporate citizens, and that includes being responsible and taking care of our environment every way we can.”
You might think of MMC as a city that never sleeps: in addition to providing medical care 24-hours a day, an entire food services staff is feeding patients, medical staff, support staff, and everyone else who comes in and out of the facility.
Some hospitals are proactive about recycling cardboard, as virtually all medical materials are shipped in daily arriving in cardboard, but MMC now has 102 bright blue recycling bins throughout the hospital and is recycling plastics, shredded office paper and metal cans in addition to a lot of cardboard.
MMC worked with the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) to launch the program and provide in-service training for hospital departments to be sure everyone is clear on “recycling right.” Tarkeysha Burton, SCSWA recycling coordinator, says, “This was the perfect opportunity to work hand in hand with MMC staff, answer all questions and get everyone onboard as to what is recyclable and what is not, and to be sure all materials going into recycling are clean and dry – no food waste.”
Harris stresses, “This all boils down to doing the right thing. Recycling is the right thing to do, and MMC wants to set an example for hospitals around the state and beyond.” Since he will soon be joining the Board of the New Mexico Hospital Association, with a membership of 29 hospitals around the state, Harris is in the perfect position to create recycling ripple effects by encouraging other New Mexico hospitals to launch their own recycling programs.
Green Connections is submitted by the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) managing solid waste, recyclables, and working to stop illegal dumping for residents and businesses throughout Doña Ana County. Contact the SCSWA at (575) 528-3800 or visit www.SCSWA.net.