Blue Wrap Recycling Program
Prerequisites & Early Action Items
Blue Wrap Quantification
 How many ORs does the hospital have?
 How much blue wrap does the facility purchase monthly or annually?
 Has the facility decreased blue wrap purchasing by utilizing hard
cases?
 Does the facility utilize white blue wrap as well as the classic blue
material?
o White blue wrap is in higher demand
Hospital Preparedness
 Is your OR manager supportive (change word)?
 Is there a “Green Team” representative from the OR?
 Do you have the cooperation of your Environmental Services
Department?
 Do you have the backing of your facility’s leadership?
 Do you currently have a recycling program in place for other
materials?
 Have you tried to recycle blue wrap in the past? If so, what was the
barrier to success (rework sentence)?
Engaging Haulers and Recyclers
 Is your current waste hauler on board with helping to develop a blue
wrap recycling program?
 What requirements does your hauler have for transporting blue
wrap?
 Do you or your hauler currently have a baler that you use for
corrugate? You may find it useful.
Program Setup
 Align with EVS and set a start date for recycling.
 Allow enough time before the start date to train your OR team.
 Set up a meeting time for each shift and train on collecting used,
clean blue wrap in specially marked bags or bins. (We recommend
using clear plastic bags for collection, so the contents are easily
identified).
 Make sure the team knows that collection bags/bins are for blue
wrap ONLY.
 Arrange for EVS to take the collection bags/bins to the loading dock
for pickup by a recycler.
Blu2Green Mission
Mission Statement
Blu2Green is driven by social responsibility. We hire people with
disabilities to create sustainable products, which in turn, create sustainable
lives. We repurpose blue wrap material to create hand-made corporate and
retail products.
Business Description
Blue wrap is a material used to cover medical utensils to keep them
sterile prior to surgery. This material makes up a large amount of plastics
produced from the healthcare industry, and before now has been thrown
away with the municipal solid waste.
In Massachusetts, people with disabilities are statistically half as
likely to find gainful employment as compared to people without
disabilities. Blu2Green is dedicated to helping people with mental and
physical disabilities find gainful employment as well as becoming part of
the community through repurposing blue wrap.
Blu2Green believes in the idea of the circular economy, which is at
the core of our vision. There needs to be an attempt to shift the economy
to one that uses what has already been created and that creates with the
intent to reuse. Blu2Green strives to positively influence the lives of people
and the condition of our natural world.
Metrics we measure our success:
Amount of jobs we provide for people with disabilities
Amount of waste we are removing from landfills
Number of hospitals we are partnered with
Business Goals
Our goal is to be a leader in creating environmentally sustainable
jobs for people with disabilities. Our products are directed primarily
towards corporate entities seeking to partner with an environmentally and
socially responsible company. Blu2Green manufactures tote bags and
necktie/cufflink sets for corporate meetings and events
Partners
ASSISTS – America-Senegal Surgical Initiative – Surgeons Teaching Surgeons
Work Without Limits
Seven Hills Foundation
CMEC
UMass Memorial Hospital