CREATING AND RUNNING
WASTE-MANAGEMENT & MATERIALS RECOVERY PROGRAMS
IN COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS
WILLIAM BORGES
© William Borges, All Rights Reserved, 2013
IN THE PAST,
WASTES WERE SIMPLY THOSE
THINGS WE THREW AWAY
THINGS LIKE:
SOLID, HAZARDOUS,
AQUEOUS, GASEOUS
MATERIALS – PLUS ENERGY –
OF ALL KINDS
HOWEVER, THANKS TO CONTEMPORARY
MANAGEMENT THINKING, THE
COMPREHENSIVE DEFINITION OF WASTE IS:
“ANYTHING THAT DOES
NOT ADD VALUE TO A
PRODUCT OR SERVICE”
THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE: DELAYS,
MISTAKES, DEFECTS, WORK-AROUNDS,
REWORK, ACCIDENTS & NEGLIGENCE
BECAUSE OF THIS
BROADER
DEFINITION OF
WASTE
AND BECAUSE
PROGRESSIVE
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
CREATED HIGHLY
EFFECTIVE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
AND PROCESSES TO
CONTROL IT
SUSTAINABILITY-FOCUSED WASTEMANAGEMENT AND MATERIALSRECOVERY ACTIVITIES CAN OFTEN BE
INTEGRATED INTO ADMINISTRATION
AND OPERATIONS PROCESSES
WITHOUT A LOT OF FUSS
A BROAD DEFINITION OF WASTE AT PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT USE CONTINUOUS-IMPROVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
CONVENTIONAL SOLID
WASTE
ENERGY WASTES FROM
EQUIPMENT
OPERATION, LIGHTING,
STEAM PRODUCTION,
HVAC SYSTEMS, WATER
HEATING, FOOD
SERVICE, PERISHABLES
STORAGE, etc.
REGULATED MEDICAL
WASTES INCLUDING
INFECTIOUS,
BIOHAZARD, “SHARPS”,
“RED-BAG” WASTE,
PHARMACEUTICAL
WASTE &RADIOLOGICAL
WASTE
HAZARDOUS WASTE
INCLUDING
LABORATORY &
CLINICAL CHEMICALS,
INFECTION-CONTROL
AGENTS, CLEANING
AGENTS &
MAINTENANCE
MATERIALS
USED EQUIPMENT,
INCLUDING IT AND
MEDICAL DEVICES
LARGE VOLUMES OF
USED LINENS &
GARMENTS
GASEOUS DISCHARGES
SANITARY & INDUSTRIAL
AQUEOUS DISCHARGES
FOOD WASTE
LANDSCAPE CUTTINGS
CONSTRUCTION &
DEMOLITION DEBRIS
IRRIGATION &
STORMWATER RUNOFF
UNUSABLE SUPPLIES
FURNITURE
EXAMPLES OF WASTE-STREAM COMPONENTS AT
HOSPITALS & OTHER HEALTHCARE DELIVERY FACILITIES
© William Borges, All Rights Reserved, 2013
WASTE-MANAGEMENT & MATERIALS-RECOVERY PROGRAM
DESIGN TEMPLATE
WHAT
WHY
HOW
WHO
WHEN
WHERE
CHECK
TASK 1 – Secure a C-level executive mandate to
create and operate an advanced wastemanagement program that supports specific
organizational policies and strategic objectives
TASK 2 – Define generalized lifecycles & quantified
generation baselines by waste-stream component
TASK 3 – Audit regulatory compliance for all
current waste streams & related activities
TASK 4 – Assess efficiency of current wastemanagement processes, facilities, equipment,
labor and other resources in terms of meeting
objectives with least cost, effort and risk
TASK 5 – Set specific waste-stream-component
reduction, reuse and recycling goals, plus unit and
personal accountabilities for their achievement
TASK 6 – For each waste stream component, design
a PDCA-based work process that will achieve its
reduction, reuse and recycling goals
TASK 7 – Define and implement the structural and
behavioral change-management process to
introduce, actively manage and sustain each waste
stream’s reduction, reuse and recycling work
process
TASK 8 – Periodically – i.e., no less than quarterly –
review progress toward the stated reduction, reuse
and recycling goals – as well as achievement of
unit- and personal-level accountabilities – for each
waste stream component
TASK 9 – Celebrate successes and/or implement
immediate and effective corrective actions
© William Borges, All Rights Reserved, 2013
CLOSING REMARKS
&
Q&A
COMPLIANCE
EFFICIENCY
SYSTEMATIC
PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT
COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGES
THROUGH
TRANSPARENCY
INCREASED
REVENUES
© William Borges, All Rights Reserved, 2013