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The main task of a regulated treatment system is to render the waste noninfectious. The technical means to disinfect medical waste has existed for a long time. Incineration was once the method of choice for dealing with medical waste, and many hospitals burned their waste on site. But it gradually became clear that, while protecting the public from infection, hospitals using onsite incinerators were exposing the public to emissions that included mercury, dioxins, and other highly toxic substances. In 1996, medical waste incinerators were listed as the largest source of dioxin and in 1997, as… Read More
Type: Resources
Increased awareness around the presence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water has resulted in closer scrutiny and increased regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical waste. Evidence of feminization of fish raised a red flag and resulted in more studies, closer scrutiny, and concern for human health and the environment. The U.S. Geological Survey has done extensive work to characterize the kinds and volumes of pharmaceuticals ending up in waterways. Learn more at U.S. Geological Survey's Emerging Contaminants Project.
While hazardous pharmaceutical waste management is a headline news item at… Read More
Type: Resources
(Less water toolkit) The Health care water conservation and pollution prevention presentation and script was developed to help you educate your community. Download the presentation with notes to use as you see fit.
Type: Resources
Sample poster from Dartmouth-Hitchcock made with a customizable template to raise awareness around less waste.
Type: Resources
Transitioning grassroots or departmental greening initiatives towards a formalized sustainability plan requires an engaged leadership team. And it's no coincidence that the furthest-reaching health care facilities have firm leadership engagement. Engaged leaders help move sustainability initiatives beyond specific areas of success and reach across all departments and initiatives with a direct link to the strategic direction of the organization.
When health care leaders can articulate why this work is important on a personal level and then operationalize that commitment throughout the… Read More
Type: Resources
Infection prevention and control in health care is of primary importance. Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) direct costs are between $35.75 billion annually and result in almost 100,000 deaths in the US. HAIs also hold implications for reimbursement, as CMS now requires that the occurrence of three HAI related Healthcare acquired Conditions (HACs) may result in lower reimbursement rates in Medicare patients without other complication. This rule continues as part of its annual Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule which took effect on October 1, 2008. Although there may not… Read More
Type: Resources
Finalists revealed, winner to be announced at CleanMed
Hospital chefs across the country submitted their plant-forward recipes to the 2023 Health Care Culinary Contest in hopes of being named America’s most celebrated hospital chef of the year. We’re excited to share the five finalists, who redesigned cultural classics from around the world:
Mayo Clinic’s three sisters blue zone tacos
Overlook Medical Center’s Sicilian butternut squash and sweet pea arancini
Parkview Regional Medical Center’s beet tataki
Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange’s pho-bowl-ous jackfruit
Scripps Health’s… Read More
Type: Press
This resource provides a policy template for establishing and approving a reprocessing and remanufacturing program of single-use or disposable medical devices in accordance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and other federal, state and local agencies. It outlines definitions, requirements, and policy components with the goal of ensuring safe and quality patient care while helping the environment and using scarce resources optimally.
Type: Resources
View this resource to read a sample policy from Boston Medical on the elimination of mercury in the workplace, including potential sources and safe disposal.
Type: Resources
Developing a GHG inventory and using the Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator FAQs.
Practice Greenhealth provides on-demand workshops to guide you through conducting a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for your health care facility or system. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to support you on this journey. You can also consult with your strategy manager for further assistance.
Type: Basic page
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