NHS Grampian hopes to save at least £150,000 per year by recycling more clinical waste.
The eco-conscious health board is ranked second in Scotland for recycling but spends around £125,000 a month disposing of clinical waste.
Every tonne of waste recycled saves the health board £110 a year, and managers plan to boost its recycling rate from 46% currently to a target of 70% by 2025.
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The efforts have been spearheaded by 32-year-old Aaron Sutcliffe, an assistant domestic services manager who was inspired by Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet series to ditch nearly 450 small waste bins - equivalent to 1,300 black bags of rubbish per week - for new recycling points.
Mr Sutcliffe, originally from Manchester but now living in Elgin, joined NHS Grampian in 2016 as a domestic and has since been promoted three times.
He has now been presented with an award by the health board in recognition for how he has transformed the way waste is handled in the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary warehouse, as well as two floors of offices.
Mr Sutcliffe said: "We all have a duty to take care of our planet and be as cost-effective as we can be.
"I was inspired by David Attenborough's Blue Planet - I love it - and we should all be doing our bit.
"Every single general waste bin I've ever checked contains recyclable materials and what we're doing is trying to make it easier for everyone to think about recycling first.
"I'm really proud of myself and my team who go above and beyond to make my ideas work.
"We've found engaging with people is the most important bit - asking 'we would like to' and explaining we're trying to make a positive impact on our sustainability goals.
"It's a win-win for everyone as it means less bending to under-desk bins for domestics and it's good for those sitting at desks to get up and about too."
NHS Grampian's waste manager, Neil Duncan, admitted that it has not always been easy to get the organisation’s 16,000-strong workforce on board with recycling efforts.
He said: "Swapping lots of small waste bins for fewer recycling points helps encourage staff to recycle and it reduces the workload for our domestic assistants.
"But with more than 70 sites alongside hundreds of teams, there's an opportunity for others to take a lead and make the changes in their areas.
"Aaron has plans to double what he's achieved so far by the end of this year and this is commendable work which should be replicated across all areas.
"We're really grateful to Aaron and his team for their commitment and enthusiasm."
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