| May 27, 2010 | Media contact: Bruce Spiher E-mail: spiher@umich.edu Phone: 734-764-2220 |
U-M Hospitals and Health Centers receives top environmental award
Program deemed by Practice Greenhealth as one of the best of health care sector efforts
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers has been awarded the highest environmental achievement award presented by Practice Greenhealth, a national membership organization of health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations. The UMHHC was named for a fourth year as a member of the Environmental Leadership Circle, Practice Greenhealth’s most prestigious award.
The Environmental Leadership Circle recognizes health care facilities that exemplify environmental excellence and set the highest standards for environmental practices in health care. To be considered, facilities must meet the criteria for the mercury-free award, recycle at least 25 percent of their total waste stream, have implemented numerous other innovative pollution prevention programs, and be leaders in their community.
Awards were presented in Baltimore at a dinner ceremony May 12 during CleanMed, the global conference for health care’s environmental leaders. Accepting the award for UMHHC was Tom Peterson, associate director, UMHHC Operations and Support Services.
“It’s terrific that we have received this prestigious award for a fourth year in a row,” says Peterson. “It recognizes our continued commitment to environmental sustainability and also helps motivate us to keep improving our environmental stewardship efforts.”
“When we get an award like this, we congratulate our people for doing a good job,” says Bruce Cadwallender, director, UMHHC Safety & Emergency Management. “But we also remind them to keep it up. Use fewer resources and commodities. Use less and recycle as much as possible. Conserve energy, and carefully choose products that have a more positive impact on the environment.”
The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers environment stewardship includes a wide-range of programs:
- Mercury free program
- Smoke free environment
- Extensive recycling initiatives, including paper and cardboard, scrap metals, batteries, wood pallets, kitchen grease, plastic linen bags, mixed plastics, print cartridges and lab solvents
- Removal of on-site incinerator and installation of steam autoclave units
- Green light program to install energy-efficient lighting technologies
- Re-use efforts, including property disposition and World Medical Relief
- Reduction of medical wastes
- Transportation programs to reduce emissions and conserve natural resources
- GreenIT to conserve energy and reduce the information technology infrastructure costs for clinical and administrative systems
- Environmentally preferred purchasing, which incorporates environmental sustainability practices into supply chain processes
- Incorporating environmental considerations in all renovations and new construction projects
- Food programs, which promote use of fresh, locally grown products with patient food and nutrition services and retail food services
The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence awards are presented to organizations making an exceptional effort to create a healthier environment. Eight categories of environmental excellence were awarded to recognize initiative, hard work and determination that it takes to protect the environment and human health while maintaining cost effectiveness in the competitive health care industry. More than 274 awards were presented to 245 facilities.
“All of our members are committed to improving health care’s environmental performance, but there is an illustrious group of facilities setting the highest standards,” said Practice Greenhealth executive director Anna Gilmore Hall. “They are the best of the best, the recipients of our top award. The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers has introduced extensive environmental strategies into health care and is committed to achieving further improvements.”
RSS
