Cutting energy use and waste could save $5.4 billion over the next five years and $15 billion over 10 years. Although hospitals are making progress, they are still among the most energy-intensive facilities accounting for 8% of US greenhouse gas emissions in the US because they operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hospital are serious waste generators, producing 6,600 tons of waste a day, including large amounts of toxic chemicals. Operating rooms have a particularly large environmental impact, accounting for a third of all hospital supply costs and large costs for energy use and waste management: using disposable rather than reusable products; throwing away unused items from pre-packaged formulations for specific surgical procedures. Reducing this pollution would reduce the incidence of human disease, thereby saving money for the health care system and society as a whole.