Facilities Services at University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences

Each year, health care institutions purchase billions of pounds of janitorial paper including napkins and other paper products, plastic trash liners, and paper and fossil-fuel based plastic packaging and other disposable food service items.

Disposable products provide some benefits to hospitals-ease of use, minimal maintenance and reduced dishwashing needs. Yet, when most of these single-use items leave the facility after use, they are disposed in landfills, incinerated or pollute the world’s oceans where they can harm humans, wildlife and the environment and contribute to other negative impacts including depletion of non-renewable resources, release of greenhouse gas emissions; generation of air and water pollutants from manufacturing, shipping and disposal; introduction of toxic chemicals into the environment during production, use and disposal; and food contamination through chemicals leaching from packaging and food service ware.

The University of Chicago Medicine recently started phasing out some styrofoam by switching to a product called ecotainer™ made by International Paper.

Ecotainer™ packaging is a revolutionary new product line that provides a more environmentally sensitive alternative to traditional food service disposables. Made from renewable resources, sustainable wood fiber and corn, ecotainer™ packaging reduces your environmental impact while providing all the functionality of traditional packaging.

For additional information please contact MaryPat Severns at 2-0632