About the Event
From collaborating with the Binners’ Project to divert non-clinical hospital waste from the landfill, reducing plastic bag use in clinical processes, transitioning to reusable sharps containers and more, staff and health care staff across BC are tackling the challenge of health care waste in practical and imaginative ways. While we are learning how pollution from health-care activities is negatively impacting the health of our patients and population we are also seeing innovative ways staff are looking to address it. There is much to be done. This session highlights the diverse ways in which staff and medical staff are applying a sustainability lens to their work and the waste reduction projects that resulted:
- Interior Health – Circularity in Waste: Reusable Sharps Containers
- Northern Health – Waste Reduction in Health Care: A Rural Lens
- Providence Health Care – Binners’ Project
- Provincial Health Services Authority – Gyne Green Bag Project
About the Speakers
Interior Health Authority
Cameron Lock, Waste Management Lead
The management of health care waste is as pertinent as ever – with passion and experience in Environmental Sustainability, Cameron joined Interior Health as the first Waste Management Lead. He leads the development, implementation and evaluation of programs and initiatives to reduce the impact of healthcare material to the environment, reduce the overall cost of waste, and increase staff and patient safety. Cameron is the first Chair of the newly developed B.C. Waste Management Technical Team in 2023, leading the coordinated efforts from each BC Health Authority in order to achieve these goals in a collaborative and efficient environment.
Providence Health Care
Erick Nguyen, Contract Manager, Support Services
Erick joined PHC in 2011 and is currently the Contract Manager, Support Services, managing the relationships with contract partners in Waste Services, Linen and Laundry Services, and Patient Transport. He is committed to exploring more successful and sustainable opportunities in the way we do things at PHC.
Kathy Kohli, Coordinator, Waste Management & Contract Performance
In September 2023, I embarked on my journey with PHC. Having previously served PHC as a vendor, I spent nearly three years engaging with diverse individuals across its various sites, where I consistently encountered professionalism, kindness and respect. When the chance arose to become part of the team, there was no hesitation in my mind that I was joining one of the finest teams. In my current role, I am dedicated to enhancing waste management practices through educational initiatives within PHC sites, with the ultimate goal of reducing our environmental impact.
Provincial Health Services Authority
Rebecca (Becky) Struvig De Groot, Registered Nurse
I am a registered Nurse. I work at BC Women’s Hospital in the gynecology surgical services department, where I led the Gyne Green Bag Project. Outside of work, I am completing my Nurse Practitioner Masters degree at the University of Northern British Columbia. In my spare time, I love to cook and enjoy good food and also get outside and go hiking and camping when I can!
Regional
Sarah Scanlan, Sustainability Consultant, Energy & Environmental Sustainability team
Sarah is a Sustainability Consultant on the Energy and Environmental Sustainability (EES) Team, with a focus area of Materials, waste, and safer chemicals. She joined the team in December 2023. Previously, Sarah worked as a Sustainability Officer in Ireland for a hospital group developing their sustainability policies and coordinating waste management projects. Sarah holds an MSc. In Environmental Sciences with her research thesis focused on sustainable healthcare. Sarah is a registered nurse working in clinical practice as a RN for 4 years and subsequent year as a nurse manager prior to her secondment into her sustainability role.
Northern Health Authority
Teri Forster, Nurse and Elected Regional Council Member for the BC Nurses Union
Teri is a nurse and an elected regional council member for the BC Nurses Union and a city councilor for Prince Rupert. Teri advocates for many social justice and animal rights causes. She recently completed her thesis which explored “Applying an appreciative process to explore environmentally sustainable resource use in Northern Health Authority” and went through an extensive harmonized review process due in part to her many roles. She graduated from a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University in Fall 2023, receiving both an honors distinction and the Governor General’s Gold Medal for her thesis.
