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CHOP’s Green Initiatives

CHOP’s Green Initiatives

Garden at Karabots
Plants sprout at the community vegetable garden at the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pediatric Care Center.

In all corners of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) — including the roof and basements — we look to find ways to be as green as possible. In calendar year 2024, more than 1,500 tons of waste was recycled, composted, or otherwise kept out of landfills. “Recycle, reuse, repurpose” is a daily mantra repeated when we renovate or relocate. Old equipment and furniture find new homes in nonprofits. We lower our energy use with solar panels and elevators that capture energy.

And we’re always looking for ways to become even greener. Here are some highlights of CHOP’s environmental initiatives:

Recycling

We continue to recycle items including: plastics, glass, aluminum, cardboard, paper, pallets, electronics, scrap metals, batteries, lead, toner cartridges, construction/demolition materials like wood, drywall and concrete, cell phones, lab coats, surgical wrap and light bulbs. Kitchen grease is collected from kitchens and turned into biodiesel. Our latest venture is reclaiming used Radiology Contrast, which historically was sent to our regulated medical waste facility.

Batteries and fluorescent light tubes: Used batteries may be considered a hazardous material because they can contain corrosive liquids or toxic heavy metals, and fluorescent light tubes contain small amounts of mercury. CHOP sends all of our used batteries and fluorescent light tubes to facilities that provide an environmentally sound recycling approach. In 2024, CHOP recycled more than 16,500 pounds of batteries and more than 6,000 pounds of fluorescent light tubes.

Construction materials: In calendar year 2023, CHOP diverted more than 9,500 tons of construction waste from the Wood Center demolition from landfills, including steel, brick, and concrete. This is roughly equivalent to eliminating the waste from 4,000 fully loaded dump trucks.

Flammable solvent used in laboratories: Laboratory processes require the use of large amounts of flammable liquids. It is critical that CHOP manages these liquids appropriately to avoid the possibility of releasing hazardous vapors and to prevent these liquids from entering into the environment. In 2024, CHOP recycled more than 50,000 pounds of flammable liquids through “fuel-blending,” which lessens the cost of treatment for this material and has the added benefit of reducing fossil fuel consumption for manufacturers that can use the recycled material.

Regulated medical waste (RMW)

CHOP continues to educate to keep regular trash and recyclables out of the “red cans” identified for RMW only. Within the Inpatient setting, 6% of our overall waste is RMW and continues to be below the industry standard of 10%.

Pharmaceutical waste

At CHOP, thousands of medications are prescribed and administered annually, and it is crucial that we ensure that unused or partially used doses of medications do not end up in a landfill and are disposed of appropriately. Since some medications can be very toxic or contain heavy metals, waste medications are incinerated at an EPA-certified disposal facility. In 2024, CHOP destroyed more than 325,000 pounds of waste medications, preventing them from harming our communities and water supply.

Medical equipment reuse

When CHOP updates its medical or lab equipment, all serviceable items are resold or collected and donated to hospitals (often in developing countries) or research facilities.

Linens and medical supplies

When our bedding is no longer serviceable for patients or medical supplies have expired, we donate them. Annually, CHOP donates sheets, blankets, and more than 10 tons of excess supplies to outside organizations.

Green buildings

Our newest facilities were designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, including the South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center (Silver), the Roberts Center for Pediatric Research (Gold), the Middleman Family Pavilion, and the Hub for Clinical Collaboration. The Buerger Center (LEED Gold) was recognized in 2017 for its sustainable design and cutting-edge green stormwater management systems by the Philadelphia Water Department.

Making energy

CHOP has solar panels on the Main Hospital North Tower, the Colket Research Building, Karabots, and the CHOP Specialty Care Center at Atlantic County, generating 1.1 megawatts of electricity per day—enough to power about 157 average American homes annually. Additionally, we’ve installed regenerative drives on 59 elevators across CHOP facilities, which generate electricity during deceleration, saving 20% to 40% of the energy these elevators would otherwise consume.

Food courts and cafés

One-at-a-time napkin and plasticware dispensers cut down on waste. Reusable plastic trays replaced single-use cardboard ones. Diners are asked to sort their waste into recycle, compost and landfill bins.

On the street 

CHOP replaced traditional trash receptacles with Big Belly solar compactors, which save five times the number of bags used. We have 12 pairs around the Main Campus, each with a recycling option.

Interdepartmental exchange of supplies

Two systems, CHOP Classifieds for office supplies and ReCHOP for in-house decommissioned laboratory equipment that is still functional, allow unneeded items to quickly go to an office or lab that can use them.

Green escapes

There are three gardens on the Main Campus where families and staff can enjoy nature. The Sea Garden is off the third floor of Children’s Seashore House, and the Buerger Center has a rooftop garden on the sixth floor. The plaza garden on the Raymond G. Perelman Campus on the south side of Civic Center Boulevard features 2.6 acres of plantings, walkways and water features. At the Karabots Center, a community vegetable garden and orchard is a welcoming spot for community activities and the bounty grown there is given to families in our Healthy Weight and Early Head Start programs. Learn more about the gardens at CHOP.

Transportation

CHOP encourages its employees to take public transportation with a monthly incentive for those who purchase passes through payroll deductions. More than 3,800 employees are taking advantage of the program in January 2025. There are bike racks that can accommodate 497 bicycles at CHOP's Philadelphia Campus. Two Indego Bike Share stations are available: one next to Children’s Seashore House and one at the Roberts Center.

Green purchasing

CHOP’s Procurement philosophy favors purchasing products that involve minimal handling and packaging and recyclable products when possible. In calendar year 2024, we collected more than 2.63 tons of pulse oximeters used in clinical care for refurbishment. When we upgrade our medical and office equipment, CHOP looks to resell exiting equipment and has successfully resold laboratory sequencing equipment, digital printers and patient stretchers. In addition, when replacing furniture, we reuse and repurpose existing items whenever possible. Equipment and furniture that can’t be used at CHOP is donated.

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