U.S. hospitals produce approximately 6 million tons of waste annually, with a 2017 study estimating that improper waste disposal could cost the U.S. more than $700 million over 5 years.

The country's first hospital recycling facility is on course to save £100,000 in waste disposal costs, a NHS trust has said.

The study also found that around 60 percent of hospitals do not have bins to store medical waste, let alone ensure basic segregation among reusable, recyclable, and non-recyclable waste—with ...