vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics
(7409)
EPA 742-F-99-016&
October 2000
FACT SHEET: Hospitals For a Healthy Environment (H2E)
Voluntary Partnership with the American Hospital Association to Reduce Hospital Waste
MISSION
Work in voluntary partnership with the American Hospital
Association and its member hospitals to:
- Virtually eliminate mercury waste generated by hospitals
by 2005;
» Reduce overall hospital waste volume by 33 percent by
2005, and 50 percent by 2010; and
»• Jointly identify additional substances to target for
pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities
BACKGROUND
Medical waste incinerators are the fourth largest known
releasers of mercury to the environment, constituting
approximately 10 percent of all emissions sources, and
hospitals are responsible for producing one percent of the
total municipal solid waste in the entire country.
The U S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in an
effort to protect the American people and the environment,
has been working in recent years to reduce mercury
releases into the environment For example, EPA recently
wrote new air regulations targeting mercury reduction from
medical waste incinerators, and have been working to stem
mercury releases through the 1997 Canada-U.S Bmational
Toxics Strategy.
The Amencan Hospital Association (AHA) is a national
organization that represents and serves nearly 5,000
hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and
communities. On June 24, 1998, the AHA and the EPA, in
consultation with Healthcare Without Harm, reached this
landmark agreement that launched the Hospitals for a
Healthy Environment program.
NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS
Environmental and public health non-profit organizations,
local government agencies; state and metropolitan health
care associations; health care environmental services
directors, health care matenal managos, physicians,
nurses and, waste management mdusto representatives,
and product manufacturers.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
»• Formed multi-stakeholder workgroups to help meet the
goals set out in the agreement.
» Created and administered a data collection survey to
establish a baseline for the average annual amount of
waste generated at a hospital. This data will be used to
gauge the overall success of this program in helping
hospitals reduce waste.
•• Received the Vice Presidential Hammer Award for
excellence in government innovation in March 1999.
- Developed a clearinghouse of technical assistance
providers
- Launched the H2E web site
http://www.h2e-online.org
>• Created a display booth, brochure and other promotional
materials that is available for outreach effort.
«• Initiated a pledge program for hospitals to pledge to be a
Hospital for a Healthy Environment and work to reduce
the waste they generate in treating patients.
NEXT STEPS
•• Develop and distribute the "How to Reduce Hospital
Waste Guide" to hospitals nationally through both the
electronic and print media. The guide outlines how ro
reduce hospital mercury and solid waste and buy
environmentally preferable products.
*• Compile baseline data survey results by Spring 2001.
Data to be posted on H2E website.
- Create national training programs for hospitals based on
the H2E Manual and other products developed by the
project;
»• Work with State technical assistance providers to
provide pollution prevention assistance to hospitals
- Launch a national awards program.
rther informauon. on obtaining H2E outreach materials call 312-422-3860 or
VisfitHfe H2BWfebsite at http://www.h2e-online.org
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