Healthcare facilities generate the most unique and challenging waste streams possible. At the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, not only is our hospital waste stream diversified and unusual, our potential recyclables are as well. Our facility generates and recycles paper, cardboard, wood, glass, metal, plastics, rubber, textiles, construction and demolition debris, batteries, fluorescent lamps, and more. If it can be recycled, we are recycling it.
In June 1996, I approached Greg Conigliaro of Conigliaro Industries about developing a total recycling program—I knew nothing about recycling. Greg has a vast store of knowledge and an enthusiastic interest in sharing that knowledge. Step-by-step, Greg helped us put together a total recycling program.
Since our partnership, Conigliaro Industries and our dedicated hospital “Green Team” have developed one of the most successful hospital recycle programs in the country. Our recycle program won the MassRecycle Institutional Recycling Award. We were presented at The National Recycling Coalition two years in a row. We received two Certificates of Achievement from the Federal Environmental Executive and we have been nominated for the White House Closing the Circle 2000 Award. In fiscal year 1999, we recycled 950,564 pounds of materials—an incredible 46% of out total waste stream!
I cannot say enough about the leadership and professionalism of Greg Conigliaro and Conigliaro Industries.
Dave Maine, Environmental Care Specialist
