September 24, 2004—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that Virginia has become a partner in a national program that educates professionals in the health care industry about waste minimization and pollution prevention in hospitals. Virginia is the first state in the mid-Atlantic region to join the “Hospitals for a Healthy Environment” Program.
For the program, various state agencies are joining health care organizations and hospitals in an effort to eliminate mercury, reduce both hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and implement green activities such as energy-efficient lighting, computers, and televisions.
Experts estimate that medical and municipal waste incinerators are responsible for 30 percent of the total mercury emissions to air. More than 800 facilities and organizations have joined “Hospitals for a Healthy Environment” since it started in 1998. For a complete listing of all the partners and more information on the program, visit EPA.
