FEATURE
a lot of energy and cuts back on main- tenance and equipment repairs.” Energy savings also can be achieved
by turning lights, computers and medi- cal equipment off or putting them into standby mode, Sheehan notes. Another initiative that staff should
be able to pick up on quickly is recy- cling, Mackler says. “A lot of our employees recycle items at home, so we began recycling those same items here.” These items include soda cans and juice bottles; plastic bags; paper, such as magazines, journals and cata- logs; batteries; and cardboard boxes. Allman says her ASC, which has a similar recycling program, has invited other businesses to participate to fur- ther reduce waste in the community. “We have a recycling bin for all of our cardboard. We encourage nearby busi- nesses to also use the bin.”
For facilities that might struggle to
start or expand a recycling program, Sheehan advises looking at partner- ship opportunities. “Speak with large health care institutions nearby to see if their vendors would be willing to make another pickup. We have also seen ASCs send their clean blue wrap to local animal shelters or veterinary clinics to be used as bedding.”
Think Bigger After your ASC successfully imple- ments a few responsible initiatives, build on these accomplishments, Shee- han says. One good area to focus on is lighting. “More facilities are mov- ing toward LED surgical lighting as it becomes less expensive. There are so many trickle-down benefits of using LEDs. Less heat is given off, so you do not need to cool the room down as
much, saving energy. There is an added energy savings in the bulbs themselves, and they have a longer lifespan. Even the light itself often provides a better visual field for clinicians.” Mackler says her ASC invested in
a device that provides for a more envi- ronmentally friendly method to dis- pose of medications. “If there is a lit- tle bit of a medication left over, it gets wasted into this device and is rendered non-retrievable and non-recoverable, as required. When the device gets filled up, we mail it off to have it incinerated. We are not required to use this device, but we are trying to be better stewards of our water supply.” Her ASC also has chosen to use
reusable biopsy forceps rather than dis- posables. “There are some devices that are disposable and must be discarded after a single patient use. With biopsy
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