Talkin' Trash With UHN

Freerange, organic, green healthcare ideas

Operation Green

Operation Green is a special program to collect surplus medical supplies and donate them to communities in need around the world. Going strong since 2011, led by the UHN Energy & Environment team with amazing support from the UHN Transportation team, clinical teams, Volunteer Resources and partner humanitarian organizations. This reduces the environmental impact of healthcare, saves financial resources from costly landfill, while increasing our global social responsibility. If you’re interested in donating materials, have questions about what supplies are accepted, or want to know the next collection date, please contact us at: OperationGreen@uhn.ca

New! February 2023: Special Collection for Turkiye (Turkey)

Due to the recent and devastating loss of infrastructure and life after an earthquake struck near the border of Turkey and Syria, we will be working alongside Not Just Tourists to do a special Operation Green collection of surplus medical supplies to help in the aftermath. Collection will take place on Wednesday, February 15th, so please contact us by Tues, Feb 14th to book your pickupDue to the tight timeline, we need to send only “trauma and emergency medical aid items” (list below), and save the rest of your surplus supplies for the next Operation Green pickup on February 28th.

What you can do (UHN Staff Only):

  1. As with all Operation Green (OG) collections, look through your supply cabinets for surplus or near-date items that are still good, but should be donated to ensure use.
  2.  Sort and separate out the trauma and emergency medical aid items if you have them (full list below). No expired items for this shipment to Turkey. Save the rest for the next OG collection.
  3. Label the trauma and emergency medical aid box(es) “Operation Green-Turkey
  4. Contact OperationGreen@uhn.ca by Tuesday, February 14th  to arrange pickup and include the following details:
    • Pickup location: site, wing, floor, department, room #
    • Number of boxes
      • Do choose a publicly accessible area like a reception desk
      • Don’t place in a “restricted” area as we cannot gain access
  5. Place your boxes at the specified location on Wednesday, February 15th by 10:00AM.

What is needed: 

Please note: expired supplies will not be accepted. See pdf below for a comprehensive list. This collection is for trauma and emergency medical aid items, such as:

  • If your current items do not fulfil the requirements of trauma and emergency medical aid, or are expired, kindly wait for the scheduled collection

Prohibited Supplies, not accepted:

  • Medicine, Narcotics or any other controlled substances listed in Schedules I to IV of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
  • Clothing or educational materials
  • Expired liquids or supplies
  • Medical waste

Big thanks to everyone, the collectors, the volunteers, for making the March 2022 collection for Ukraine the single largest monthly collection in our program’s history!!! Also thanks to our community partners at Not Just Tourists and the Canadian Ukrainian Foundation.

Images above of the March 2022 collection that went to the Ukraine via NJT and the Canadian Ukrainian Foundation. All 1,400 kg of medical supplies!

Here is our list of suggested items for Ukraine (prohibited items listed at end of list):

August 2021 team with Emma Wosik and UHN volunteers. This was also a very large collection, with supplies going to Haiti.
Operation Green volunteers save medical supplies like these boxes of unused needles saved by the Cell Therapy Lab at PMH
Operation Green volunteers save med supplies like these boxes of unused needles from the Cell Therapy Lab, PMH
Operation Green 2016-17 Team! (L-R) Amy Chan, Kiyoka Sasaki, Tina Wang, Jessica He, (not in photo, Evelyn Waugh)
Operation Green 2016-17 Team! (L-R) Amy Chan, Kiyoka Sasaki, Tina Wang, Jessica He, (not in photo, Evelyn Waugh)

8 thoughts on “Operation Green

  1. my name is Edina I am community rn and I have some extra supply in my car and I can donate pls call me 647-990-4651

    Like

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