Partnership for Sustainable Healthcare
H2E Awards Ceremony
April 18
EPA's Partnership for Sustainable Healthcare (PSH) evolved from the agency's previous partnership program, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. In February 2006 the original EPA partnership became a fully independent entity – a mark of its success in meeting its primary goal of virtually eliminating mercury waste from health-care facilities.
Although the new entity, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization , is totally independent and has no legal connection to the Agency, it retained the name "Hospitals for a Healthy Environment" (H2E), and has an agenda and mission consistent with EPA's goals. The new independent H2E continues to provide hands-on help and information to hospitals and sponsors the former organization's prestigious award program to provide incentives to health-care facilities to be good environmental stewards.
Background
In 1998, the American Hospital Association and EPA signed a landmark agreement that launched the original H2E to advance pollution prevention efforts in U.S. hospitals. The memorandum of understanding that served as the cornerstone of the original H2E set out three main goals:
- Virtually eliminating mercury-containing waste from the health care waste stream
- Reducing the overall volume of waste (both regulated and non-regulated waste)
- Identifying hazardous substances for pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities, especially hazardous substances
Prior to the advent of the independent H2E organization, EPA's partnership program enlisted 1,170 partners representing 6,431 health care facilities to join in achieving the goal of virtually eliminating mercury-containing waste, as well as to reduce all waste, especially hazardous waste. The healthcare sector continues to show signs of growing environmental awareness, as evidenced by the environmental results achieved by the hospitals recognized by H2E 2005 and 2006 award programs:
- Eliminating nearly 4 million grams of mercury;
- Recycling 31,000 tons of waste;
- Reducing 4,300 tons of hazardous waste;
- Conserving 43 million gallons of water; and
- Saving more than $2 million.
For complete information about the new independent organization, please see the partner site, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment .
The EPA contact for Partnership for Sustainable Healthcare (PSH) is Chen Wen (wen.chen@epa.gov), 202-564-8849.