US – New tools target health care waste

US – New tools target health care waste

Aiming to reduce the amount and toxicity of waste that comes from
caring for patients, four national agencies launched a new phase in a
landmark collaborative effort called Hospitals for a Healthy
Environment (H2E). ENN reports that the groups, the US Environmental
Protection Agency, the American Hospital Association, the American
Nurses Association, and Health Care Without Harm, launched a joint Web
site on H2E and unveiled two new programmes designed to encourage
hospital participation. This is to be found at:

http://www.h2e-online.org

The Web site provides tools for hospitals seeking to improve
environmental performance, including a comprehensive list of mercury
reduction resources and a step-by-step guide to minimising waste.

A new H2E listserv provides a forum for health care professionals to
discuss technical information and practical strategies for pollution
prevention. H2E also unveiled two new programmes:

The Partners for Change programme gives hospitals national recognition
for improving environmental performance The Champions for Change
programme recognises organisations that promote H2E within the health
care field

H2E aims to enhance efforts within the health care field to minimize
the production of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT)
pollutants and to reduce the volume of waste generated.

H2E is committed to:

Virtually eliminating mercury-containing waste from hospitals’ waste streams by 2005
Reducing the overall volume of waste (both regulated and non-regulated waste) by 33 per cent by 2005 and by 50 per cent by 2010
Identifying hazardous substances for pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities, including hazardous chemicals and persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic pollutants