Ideas That Work: Going Green

We’ve heard some wonderful stories about facilities that repurposed blue wrap to make sleeping mats and blankets for the homeless, and wanted to do something similar. Our blue wrap was too small to repurpose in that capacity, however, so our team found the perfect alternative: local animal rescues. We’ve partnered with a rescue that stops by our center every week or two to pick up the blue wrap we’ve collected. Surgical scrubs and circulators place clean blue wrap on a lower shelf in the OR when they’re unwrapping instruments. The wrap is then collected and placed in a designated box. When we have enough material to donate, our business office contacts the rescue. On top of reducing the amount of waste we send to landfills and bolstering pride and teamwork among our staff, we’re helping an organization that is grateful for the free material. We even get the occasional visit from a furry friend or a letter featuring photos of the animals we’ve helped. 

Donna Reynolds, QAPI
Livonia (Mich.) Outpatient Surgery Center
[email protected]