SSM Launches Precious Metal Recovery Program

SSM Health Care hopes to recover as much as $200,000 annually in precious metals found in x-ray films, catheters an electrodes.

The health care provider announced a partnership with Arch Enterprises (a precious metal refinery) to recover those metals from medical supplies and radiology films, an SSM news release said.

Arch Enterprises will remove the metal from the used supplies and pay SSM Health Care – St. Louis a market based price for it, the news release said. The program will recycle a limited resource and reduce waste in Missouri's landfills.

Collection containers will be located in the hospital departments to collect the items.

SSM DePaul Health Center will briefly test the metal recovery program before the health care provider implements the program at other SSM hospitals, such as SSM St. ClareHealth Center in Fenton, in the coming weeks.

The program will first affect the cardiac cathether lab, the emergency room, radiology, the intensive care unit and a few other nursing floors.