OHA - Pollution Prevention Initiative

P2 University
A hands - on approach to evaluate waste systems. Participants learned how to identify cost saving opportunities for pollution prevention and waste minimization activities, reviewed the requirements of the Joint Commissions Environment of Care Standards involving the safe management of hazardous materials and hazardous wastes, prepare pollution prevention plans and programs to increase compliance with state and federal laws, and conduct a thorough audit of a hospital waste stream.

Front row (left to right): Judy Kirst, St. Rita's Medical Center; Janet Brown, H2E; Jane McDonald, St. Rita's Medical Center; Joe Remalius, Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Susan Zabo, OHA

Back row (left to right): Glenn McRae, CGH Environmental; Les Howard, Clinton Memorial Hospital; John Burnett, Defiance Regional Medical Center; Dave Damaske, St. Rita's Medical Center

not pictured: Bill Streng, St. Rita's Medical Center; Sandra Rabee, ProMedica

Pharmaceutical Waste Resources
Even if you missed OHA's 2007 seminar on properly segregating and disposing of hazardous pharmaceutical wastes, you can still access helpful resources.
► Program Information
► Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A 10-Step Blueprint for Healthcare Facilities
► Mix and Match Exercise
► Implementation of NIOSH/ASHP Hazardous Drug Standards
Thanks to McConnell Heart Health Center for hosting the Seminar.

Best Management Practice for Mercury
Ohio EPA Proposing Mercury Best Management Practices Health e-News May 1, 2007
Draft Ohio EPA Mercury Best Management Practice Checklist
View a description of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation's Mercury Discharge Minimization Program.

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E)
H2E offers information on national recognition program for hospitals doing work on environmental issues, pollution prevention, waste reduction. You can join H2E by visiting www.h2e-online.org. View a list of Ohio hospitals who are H2E partners.

P2 Workgroup
Ask questions about environmental issues affecting Ohio. The Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) Listserv is a communication tool for health care environmental program leaders to share information to facilitate progress towards minimizing the volume and toxicity of health care waste.

Healthcare Facility Pollution Prevention Planning Kit
Check out a pollution prevention planning kit, designed by the Ohio Healthy Hospitals Pollution Prevention Initiative, based on a voluntary working agreement between the U.S. EPA and the American Hospital Association.

E-Waste
OHA H2E, and the Center for Environmental Health Pollution Prevention Program have joined forces with an EPA Region 5 Resource Conservation Challenge Grant.

Environmental Leadership Council Recommends TechDisposal for e-Waste Disposal

As part of a deliverable under a 2007-2008 U.S. EPA Region V grant awarded to Hospitals for a Healthy Environment and OHA, OHA's Environmental Leadership Council reviewed proposals from several electronic waste disposal businesses and determined that TechDisposal was most qualified to meet the needs of Ohio hospitals. One important consideration in reaching that recommendation is that TechDisposal currently holds the e-waste management contract for all state government agencies in Ohio. OHA does not endorse any vendor but, based upon the deliberations of its Environmental Leadership Council, recommends that hospitals consider TechDisposal when considering their e-waste needs. For more information, contact: Shannon Broadbent-Saksaka at 614.328.0195 or by email at ssaksaka@techdisposal.com or Susan Zabo 614.221.7614 susanz@ohanet.org
TechDisposal Data Destruction and Disposal Practices
Risk Mitigation: IT Asset Disposal Best Practices

Conference Call Slides - Jan 9, 2007

Global Links - Suture Recovery Program Saves Lives Overseas
Global Links is dedicated to reducing the amount of still useful surplus that is needlessly thrown away in the U.S., while helping to provide hospitals in developing countries with the ability to better treat their patients and expand services. Article or visit http://www.globallinks.org

**OHA Recognized in National Publication**
OHA's pollution prevention efforts were recognized in the Oct-Dec issue of Medical Waste Management. The publication, put out by Downing Associates, focused on OHA's impact in the environmental arena: "The Ohio Hospital Association Empowers Hospitals to Prevent Pollution and Reduce Waste."
Medical Waste Management is published quarterly. The yearly subscription cost is $29.95 and can be mailed to 6075 Hopkins Rd, Mentor, OH 44060, ph: 440-257-6453, fax 440-257-6459.

OHA Environmental Leadership Council
The OHA Environmental Leadership Council provides guidance for statewide pollution prevention and waste reduction initiatives.

John Chapman Award
2008 Recipient
Huron Hospital
Accepted by A. Gus Kious M.D.
Chief Administrative Officer
Cleveland
Over a three-year period, Huron Hospital reduced its solid waste by 37 percent from disposal of 50 tons per month to 32 tons per month. This accomplishment was achieved through paper and plastic recycling areas, reduction of unnecessary red bag disposal, a switch in cafeteria plateware from styrofoam to china, recycling of construction project waste, donation of used furniture and supplies to charity and steering metal disposal to a metal distributor. Huron also donated over 12,000 pounds of unused products to charity, recycled 97 tons of cardboard and paper, 276 pounds of batteries, 58 tons of metal and 210 yards of construction debris. Huron Hospital is currently working on installation of a windmill to harness electricity for its parking garage- the first in Ohio.
Past recipients