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Recycling @ OHSU
OHSU takes recycling and its benefits very seriously. Not only do we have a free, comprehensive campus-wide recycling program for research and labs, hospitals and clinics and general facilities, our Grounds department and Environmental Health & Radiation Safety department also have programs that conserve our natural resources.
OHSU Recycling Center provides free, comprehensive recycling services for

Begin Your Recycling Program:
Types of Recycling Receptacles Available:

Items You Can Recycle at OHSU
Batteries: Call the Recycling center at 4 - 6175 and they will pick them up.
Cell Phones & PDA's: Drop off your cell phone and/or PDA at the Telcom Wireless office located in the basement of Baird Hall. To read more about our cell phone and PDA recycling program, and how it also helps Doernbechers and women shelters in the area, click here.[pdf]
Packaging Peanuts
Paper and Confidential Material
Glass, Plastics - bottles, plastic film, stretch & bubble wrap, plastic bags and tin

Questions About Recycling @ OHSU
I would like to order the blue barrels used for paper recycling. Is there a limit of barrels that I can order?
You may have as many as you need.

How often does the blue barrels get picked up for recycling?
Once weekly, however if it fills before the next pick up call 4-6175.

I would like to order the three-tiered recycling containers. How do I do that?
Call the Recycling Center at 4-6175 and place an order for one.
How do I order locking confidential materials containers?
Call the Recycling Center at 4-6175 and place an order for one.

What do I do with my cans and bottles?
The Recycling Center provides containers for both cans and bottles.  Call the Recycling Center at 4-6175 for containers.

How do I recycle my cardboard?
Patient Care areas place your cardboard in the trash rooms, for Education and General Buildings place in hallways at end of night for custodian to remove.

How much is my department saving by recycling?
It cost $71.27 per ton to haul trash to the transfer station. When we recycle that reduces our overall cost to the University. For example last year we recycled 812 tons of paper which saved the University $57,871.

Is recycling worthwhile?
Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. Recycling, which includes composting, diverted nearly 70 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2000, up from 34 million tons in 1990—doubling in just 10 years. Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. As a matter of fact, collecting recyclable materials is just the first step in a series of actions that generate a host of financial, environmental, and societal returns.

OHSU Recycles in More Ways Than One
OHSU Grounds coordinates the unifying exterior design elements of the OHSU campus, preserving the historical and aesthetic values and enhancing the relationships between buildings, open spaces and plant materials.

Landscaping:
Native tree species are considered whenever possible for planting, as well as ornamental varieties that tolerate our regions growing and climatic conditions. Careful evaluations are made before a final selection of a tree is made, hoping for perpetuity to the future generations of staff, students, patients and visitors. For instance, the Peter Kohler Pavilion will introduce a new genus and species, Salix lasinandra or Pacific willow, a native of the Pacific Northwest.
The OHSU campus has 50+ genera of trees cataloged, representing 100% genus and species. An example of genera is Prunus, representing cherry and plum trees (pictured). Within the genera, the campus has 9 species planted, totaling 31 trees.

IPM: The department approaches the landscape maintenance by encompassing the practices of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Currently team members are licensed as Public Pesticide Applicators by the Oregon Department of Agriculture when such an application is necessary for maintenance.

Hazardous Waste Recycling
Hazardous waste as defined by OHSU includes chemical wastes described in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), chemical substances regulated by the Clean Water Act, and other toxic substances determined to be hazardous to the environment.
OHSU Environmental Health & Radiation Safety follows these strict policies. If you have questions or would like to know more about how you can recycle Hazardous Waste, please visit EHRS web site.

ITG Computer Surplus
For computer surplus pick-up, please click on the link provided http://helpdesk/viewer.aspx?key_id=1711 and it will take you to ITG's Computer Surplus form to submit.

Recycling Partners and Programs @ OHSU
OHSU participates in numerous activities related to pollution prevention, often referred to as toxic use reduction-waste minimization programs. Some of them are:
  • Healthcare Without Harm a local organization composed of area hospitals that seek to educate its members about pollutants in materials commonly found in medical institutions. Examples include, PVC piping, phthalate-based plastics and mercury.
  • Mercury Phase Out OHSU Logistics is no longer furnishing mercury thermometers. Since mercury devices can still be purchased, EHRS is attempting to close the loop by planning educational fairs.
  • Alternative/Elimination of Products OHSU has also attempted to substitute more toxic products with those less toxic to employees, patients and visitors, and to the environment. There are many other areas of OHSU where less toxic chemicals have replaced the more toxic ones.
    (OHSU RCRA Waste Stream flow chart) - You will be taken to Environmental Health & Radiation Safety site.
  • Community Waste Disposal OHSU Environmental Health and Radiation Safety has organized community and employee waste disposal fairs. These allow people to rid their homes of toxic chemicals that they may otherwise employ or spill into the environment. The waste disposal fairs occur on site, are convenient to the community, and are easily accessible.
  • Chemical Exchange Service Sound reagents, those not contaminated with other chemicals or not deteriorated or polymerized due to age, and those not extremely toxic or highly reactive, are provided to the Portland School District for re-use.


The GreenTeam promotes environmental sustainability and enhancement at OHSU
through education, awareness and action.

3/31/07

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