5.3 Waste and Resource Recycling
Our hospital is actively responding to the global net-zero transition trend. In 2024, we jointly signed the “Hospital Sustainable Development Initiative” with the Taiwan Sustainable Energy Research Foundation (TAISE), officially launching a comprehensive resource recycling improvement campaign across the entire hospital. Adhering to the core principle of “waste as a resource,” we have established a “Waste Management Policy” in compliance with national environmental protection laws, promoting waste source reduction (Reduce), material reuse (Reuse), and resource recycling (Recycle).
Currently, the waste generated by our hospital is sorted into six major categories based on their characteristics: general waste, biomedical waste, resource reutilization of medical business waste, R0201 medical plastic waste, general resource recycling, and green waste reutilization.
Waste Regulation Compliance and Management
- Dedicated Management: Our hospital has legally appointed “dedicated waste personnel” who are responsible for pollution prevention, waste removal and treatment, environmental reporting, and routine monitoring.
- Storage Standards: Strict segregation and storage of hazardous and general business waste are implemented. Hazardous business waste is classified and stored according to its hazardous characteristics, with rigorous low-temperature refrigeration management (all stored in cold storage below 5°C).
- Flow Monitoring: All types of hospital waste are entrusted to government-approved professional removal and treatment agencies. Transport vehicles are equipped with GPS tracking systems for real-time route monitoring to ensure that the final disposal of all medical waste is legal and compliant, thereby eliminating environmental pollution risks.
Our hospital accurately links each waste category to the appropriate legal disposal channels. The primary removal and treatment contractors, along with the disposal methods for 2025, are detailed in the table below:
| Item | Clearing Vendor | Processing Vendor | Cleaning Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Waste | L0595128 Dayang Environmental Engineering Enterprise Co., Ltd. | L920189 Taichung City Government Environmental Protection Bureau Houli Resource Recycling Center | Z05 Incineration Treatment |
| Biomedical Waste | H53B0860 Liangwei Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd. | H5302796 Shuimei Engineering Enterprise Co., Ltd. Guanyin Plant | Z05 Incineration Treatment |
| Medical Waste Resource Recovery and Reuse | P54A0350 Qingxin Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd. | D9201289 Yu Jie Technology Co., Ltd. | R03 Reuse |
| Medical Waste Plastics | B9109962 Guangrun Enterprise Co., Ltd. | B9109962 Guangrun Enterprise Co., Ltd. | R99 Recycling |
| Resource Recycling | B0512730 Hanlin Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | B25A9221 Dafeng Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | Resource Recycling |
Specific Waste Reduction Measures
To implement the national net-zero emissions policy and promote a “net-zero green lifestyle,” our hospital integrates circular economy principles into its waste management strategies. From sustainable education and source classification to resource recycling, reuse, and circular procurement, we have developed a comprehensive, full-cycle medical management model. Through cross-departmental collaboration, full staff engagement, and continuous improvement mechanisms, we aim to reduce waste generation and increase resource reuse rates while balancing environmental protection, social participation, and economic benefits. Our goal is to advance toward a low-carbon, circular, and sustainable medical environment.
1. Enhancing Sustainability Awareness and Promoting Green Communication
To enhance environmental protection awareness among all hospital staff, concepts of waste classification and resource recycling are integrated into new employee orientation and regular mandatory training sessions for all job categories, fostering a culture of sustainability with full participation. Additionally, ongoing classification promotion and training are provided to outsourced cleaning staff and clinical support personnel stationed in the hospital to improve classification accuracy at the frontline and ensure high-quality waste management.
For external communication, the hospital employs visual management techniques for general waste and resource recycling facilities, utilizing color coding and pictorial signs to enhance public recognition. It also prominently displays waste reduction promotional posters. Additionally, large-scale hospital anniversary events and official social media platforms are leveraged to promote plastic reduction and environmental protection initiatives, thereby expanding the reach of sustainability education and increasing public awareness and participation in resource recycling and environmental conservation.
2. Promoting a Source-Level Detailed Classification Management Mechanism
The hospital has implemented a comprehensive waste classification management system that uses color-coded bins and pictorial signs to differentiate various types of waste, effectively reducing classification errors by clinical medical staff. Cleaning personnel conduct preliminary inspections before transporting materials from wards and clinics to waste storage sites. Subsequently, storage site managers perform final re-inspections. This multi-level classification management approach enhances classification accuracy, improves resource recycling efficiency, and reduces the volume of waste incinerated.
3. Expanding Resource Recovery and Reuse of Medical Business Waste
To improve the recycling efficiency of medical waste, the hospital will officially expand the medical business waste resource recovery program from select pilot units to full hospital implementation starting in 2025.
Regarding recycling, the number of resource recovery categories will increase significantly from three major items in 2024 (artificial kidneys, catheters, and IV sets) to 26 items. Newly added recyclable items include waste sharps (limited to syringes, injection plungers, and pistons without needles), dialysis filters, blood circuit tubes, central venous catheters, urinary catheters, nasogastric tubes, gastrostomy tubes, and other medical consumables.
Recycled medical waste is processed by professional contractors using high-temperature sterilization and plastic remanufacturing techniques, transforming it into industrial-grade recycled plastic pellets. The hospital further prioritizes the procurement of green building materials made from recycled plastics, applying them in facilities such as outdoor stairs on campus. This approach demonstrates a circular economy model—from recycling and remanufacturing to repurchasing—thereby implementing a closed-loop circular application system.
4. Recycling and Reuse of Composite Material Medical Waste Plastics
To increase the recycling rate of composite medical waste plastics, the hospital launched the “R0201 Medical Waste Plastic Recycling and Reuse” project on October 15, 2025. This initiative manages the recycling of composite medical waste plastics, including IV bags (bottles) and medicine buckets.
Statistics from November to December 2025 show that the hospital recycled a total of 895 kilograms of medical waste plastics. During this period, the hospital repurchased 120 units of 13-liter low-carbon sharps containers made from that batch of recycled plastics, sourced from cooperating manufacturers, and reintroduced them for clinical use. This process successfully established a closed-loop cycle model of “medical waste generation → recycling processing → hospital repurchase,” effectively implementing circular economy and green procurement principles.
5. On-Site Regeneration of Green Waste and Promotion of Biodiversity
The hospital has replaced the traditional method of incinerating pruned branches and fallen leaves with an on-site green waste regeneration strategy that promotes resource recycling and enhances the campus ecological environment.
(1) Microhabitat Ecological Construction
The hospital utilizes recycled cardboard boxes, pruned branches, and waste wood boards to independently create “leaf capsules” and “biological hotels” on campus, establishing diverse and stable microhabitat ecosystems. Consistent observations have documented earthworms, millipedes, woodlice, abundant fungal communities, as well as various mammal and bird species inhabiting the area, significantly enhancing campus biodiversity and improving natural ecosystem services.
(2) Sustainable Gardens and Community Integration
The hospital has established the “Branch and Leaf Gardens” and “No-Bend Gardens,” where various native aromatic herbs are planted. Employees, volunteers, and members of the surrounding community actively participate in environmental education activities. The garden plants are further processed into distinctive hospital products, such as mugwort ointment and Plectranthus amboinicus ointment. Through environmental education, community involvement, and resource reuse, the hospital promotes sustainable values of environmental protection and social integration.
(3) Economic Benefits and Resource Savings Achievements
Through the implementation of a green waste on-site regeneration management strategy, the hospital effectively reduces the need for transportation and disposal of tree pruning waste. This approach cuts total tree pruning transportation and disposal costs from NT$403,087 in 2024 to NT$192,265 in 2025, saving NT$210,822 in operating expenses. In addition to lowering waste disposal costs, this strategy also reduces environmental impacts associated with transportation and incineration, thereby creating sustainable outcomes that integrate environmental protection with economic benefits.
Waste Management Performance Statistics
Through ongoing education and cross-departmental collaboration, the hospital actively enhances classification accuracy and the effectiveness of resource recycling. The total waste generated in 2025 decreased by 4.5% compared to 2024, demonstrating tangible results in waste reduction.
Hospital Waste Treatment Statistics for 2024–2025
| Waste Category | Item / Treatment Method | Year 2024 (Metric Tons) | Year 2025 (Metric Tons) | Increase/Decrease Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-hazardous Waste | General Industrial Waste (Incineration) | 162.622 | 152.891 | -5.98% |
| Hazardous Industrial Waste | Biomedical Waste (Incineration) | 77.155 | 67.897 | -12.00% |
| Hazardous Industrial Waste | Resource Recovery and Reuse (Recycling) | 14.959 | 22.4891 | 50.34% |
| Total | Total Waste Generated | 254.736 | 243.2771 | -4.50% |
| Sustainability Indicator | Resource Utilization Ratio | 0.0587 | 0.0924 | 3.37% |
Note: The definition of hazardous industrial waste includes biomedical waste and the amount of resource recycling.
Our institute’s 2025 non-hazardous waste statistics table:
| Waste Items | Waste Generated (Metric Tons) | Treatment Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Waste Paper | 41.367 | Recycling |
| Iron Cans | 2.657 | Recycling |
| Paper Containers | 2.631 | Recycling |
| Plastic Buckets (Large White Buckets) | 4.062 | Recycling |
| Aluminum Cans | 0.064 | Recycling |
| Waste Glass | 5.06 | Recycling |
| General Industrial Waste | 152.891 | Incineration Treatment |
Main Hospital Tree Pruning Expense Comparison Table for Year 2:
| Year of Tree Pruning and Removal at Main Hospital | Cost (NTD) | Results |
|---|---|---|
| The year 2024 | 403,087 | Significantly reduce the cost of tree pruning and removal, saving 210,822 yuan. |
| The year 2025 | 192,265 |
In the future, our hospital will continue to enhance waste reduction and resource recycling management measures, expand the scope of medical waste reutilization, strengthen source classification and circular procurement systems, and integrate biodiversity conservation with environmental education initiatives. We aim to gradually establish a green medical environment that is low-carbon, circular, and resilient, thereby fulfilling medical institutions’ commitments to environmental protection, social responsibility, and sustainable governance.