Lawrence General Hospital is a private hospital providing services to nearly 325,000 patients annually. The 500,000 square foot facility employs 1,900 staff members and houses 186 beds, as well as a full-service cafeteria that provides meals for patients, visitors, and staff.

The hospital engaged with RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) in early 2019 for assistance in updating their waste diversion practices to ensure that all waste ban materials are consistently collected for recycling, while also minimizing contamination. RecyclingWorks staff visited Lawrence General Hospital in May 2019 to assess current operations and identify opportunities to improve all aspects of waste diversion, including managing cardboard, food waste, and materials for single stream recycling.

RecyclingWorks provided recommendations for implementing a single stream recycling program, posting updated signage, and offering comprehensive staff training. Additionally, hospital staff were able to successfully revive their kitchen food scraps diversion program and develop a new plan to donate surplus edible food. The hospital has since established a Green Team to launch additional strategies and engage employees in conservation, recycling, and waste diversion efforts. Through these programs, Lawrence General Hospital is projected to divert an estimated 130 tons of food and 18 tons of single stream materials from disposal annually.

RecyclingWorks is a free recycling assistance program that helps businesses and institutions comply with Massachusetts waste bans and maximize recycling, reuse, and food waste diversion opportunities. To learn more about our no-cost technical assistance, call our hotline, (888) 254-5525, or email us at info@recyclingworksma.com.