Recycling
The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s recycling program is wide-ranging, to ensure the proper disposal of electronics, and clinical instruments, as well as unique and unwanted items. Additionally, we reprocess single-use devices and collect e-waste, metals, alkaline batteries, and writing utensils. Service requests should be submitted via recycling request form.
Furniture and Salvage
The JHH Furniture and Salvage Program ensures unwanted furniture is properly reused, recycled or discarded. We also provide office-to-office moves within the hospital and facilitate a used/surplus furniture program via a vendor, Re-form, which is focused on diverting waste from landfills. Unwanted furniture in good condition is stored for resale to the Johns Hopkins community.
Recycling FAQs
-
We provide a recycling collection service for alkaline batteries and e-waste such as computers, monitors, cords, mice, etc. Complete the Recycling Request Form to schedule a collection. Please note, The Department of Health, Safety and Environment still requires that the following types of batteries are disposed of as chemical waste: NiMH, NiCd, lithium, mercury, and lead acid. These can be dropped off at any of the rotating hazardous chemical waste collection sites around campus.
-
Collect pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and all caps in your office. When you’ve got a bunch ready for recycling, please submit the request form for a pick-up!
-
Yes, eyeglasses of all prescriptions and types can be donated to the Lions Club Recycle for Sight Program. Cases and reading glasses are also welcome. Collection bins are at the Wilmer Main Lobby.
-
If there are items in your area that can be donated instead of going to the landfill, please submit a recycling request form so the items can be collected. All items will be inspected to decide if it can be reused within JHH, donated, or taken apart and recycled.
-
Chemical waste is collected at several locations around campus on a weekly or semi-weekly basis for proper disposal. All types of chemicals are accepted except biohazardous or radioactive waste, and no sharps. For more details and a list of collection times/locations visit the Department of Health, Safety and Environment website at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hse (under “Environmental Safety”) or call the office directly at 410-955-5918.
-
Although the bags are mixed in the collection tipster, they are segregated at the dock- that’s why it’s key to ensure recycle bins are lined with green bags and regular trash is collected in clear bags. The only type of trash that needs to be segregated is red bag trash, as it’s considered infectious and needs to stay separate from other types of waste.
Single-Use Devices
Reprocessing single-use devices involves reusing instruments that were designed and sold for a single use. Because of the variety of single-use devices, from simple and inert to complex and electronic, it is challenging to critique the process. Single-use devices range from an external device designed to lie against the skin, such as the plastic boots used for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (intermittent pneumatic compression), to more invasive and complex electrothermal equipment consisting of insulation, sharp blades and crevices that may become filled with blood or human tissue. Please contact your Supply Chain Administrator for additional information or for a list of hospital-approved devices.
Paper and Confidential Document Disposal (Shredding)
Properly dispose of paper, confidential documents, and media through our secure paper shredding and destruction services via Shred-it. Secure paper shredding services are available to departments and offices.
- Please do not place non-paper items (e.g., batteries, cardboard, gloves, masks, metal clamps, spiral notebooks, three ring binders, trash, etc.) in shred bins. Those materials can cause potential harm to the Shred-it staff and fire damage to their equipment.
- Please do not move or relocate the bins or totes from the designated area once they have been positioned.
- Please do not remove or use any of the large 96 gallon totes from their designated staging areas.
- Shred-it services offices/areas once per week on a regular service schedule or as needed. The schedule is as follows:
- Monday - Billings, Bloomberg, Marburg, Park, Weinberg, Wilmer, Zayed Buildings
- Wednesday – 1830 Building, Blalock, Carnegie, CMSC, Halsted, Meyer, MRI, Nelson, Osler and Phipps Buildings
- Thursday – Rubenstein and Viragh Buildings
- Friday – JH Outpatient Center (Bi-weekly), Orleans Street Garage, Smith, Buildings
All inquiries related to shredding (e.g., billing, new installations, purge services, bin relocations, bin removals, service issues, questions, etc.) should be submitted to [email protected]. All service request should be submitted via the Shredding Request recycling form.