Sustainability

Since moving to the current location in Grand Prairie, NTHCL laundry has reduced its use of water by 56%. By combining the three laundries and converting to tunnel-style washers, the amount of water required to launder 1 pound of linen has been reduced from 2.26 gallons to 0.80 gallon, saving 41 million gallons of water per year.

The detergent and fabric softener used by NTHCL are formulations that are biodegradable and DfE compatible. DfE is the EPA’s “Design for the Environment” program that works with industry to improve the environmental friendliness of industry practices. In addition, the detergent was recently reformulated to contain no NPEs, which will be regulated in the future. NTHCL also uses non-chlorine bleach that is safer for the environment and can clean at lower temperatures, providing energy savings. Most of NTHCL’s chemicals are shipped in bulk trucks, saving on plastic barrels.

Several years ago, NTHCL initiated a conversion of our lighting to high efficiency fluorescent technology. As a result NTHCL saves an estimated $25,000-$30,000 annually.

NTHCL competes with disposable products used throughout our hospitals, including surgical packs used by operating rooms. NTHCL offers a full line of reusable surgical gowns, drapes, and component packs that compete with disposable products, often providing savings to the facilities and taking disposable products out of the trash and bio waste stream.

The most effective environmental initiative in regard to laundry/linen is utilization conservation. In this area, NTHCL and its member hospitals have been very successful. Since 2010 NTHCL and key hospital personnel have worked together to support initiatives that have saved more than 2 Million pounds, further reducing the necessary resources.

NTHCL recycles all of our plastic, including plastic bags used to transport soiled linen from the hospitals.

Recycle with Green Planet

NTHCL utilizes a wastewater heat recovery system that recovers the heat from the wastewater and transfers it to the fresh incoming water. The system raises the incoming water temperature by more than 25-30 degrees at a cost of only running one electrical pump. This results in reducing natural gas.

NTHCL has a program set up to donate linen that is unusable by our hospitals because it is worn, stained, or torn. The rejected linen is donated to various organizations including rag companies, animal rescue groups, homeless shelters, and a variety of charitable organizations. By doing this, we are keeping the rejected linen out of landfills.