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SORCC Green Environmental Management System (GEMS)
SORCC Green Environmental Management System (GEMS)
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to delivering quality health care to our nation’s veterans. Recognizing that accomplishing this mission includes a great deal of fiscal accountability, the VA is committed to lessoning environmental risk factors and associated expenses by focusing on new ways to prevent pollution, reducing waste, and conserving natural and cultural resources. Following the VA’s lead, the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City Oregon is employing processes to affirm that environmental accountability is integrated into day-to-day decision-making and long-term planning.
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| The SORCC Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) was established June of 2005 as the facility’s governing environmental policy. This policy guides and encourages SORCC employees, at all levels of the organization, to be good stewards of the environment by complying with all applicable environmental requirements; preventing pollution; reducing waste; conserving energy, water, and other natural and cultural resources. |
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Part of the GEMS process includes instituting new and improving current processes to eliminate, minimize, or mitigate adverse environmental impacts in order to minimize expenses associated with hazardous material management and expenses associated with trash management. The new program is facilitated by a GEMS committee that is comprised of members from all levels of the organization. The Committee meets regularly to evaluate current environmental conditions and also to evaluate new or needed environmental proposals. |
The process has led the SORCC to establish numerous recycling processes for materials that were historically considered hazardous waste or general bulk waste. In addition to the typical recycling streams for office paper and aluminum cans, the facility has also found ways to recycle numerous new materials including fluorescent light bulbs, used oil, batteries, tires and organic materials. Approximately twenty new recycling streams have been identified since the programs inception. Future GEMS changes will include additional natural and cultural resource conservation, affirmative procurement/green purchasing (requiring purchase of material with recycled material content). The GEMS process is seen as a major step in continuing the VA tradition of ensuring environmental compliance is a component in long range planning, purchasing, and operating decisions, wherever practicable.
For additional Information concerning the SORCC GEMS program please contact Greg Martinen, SORCC GEMS Coordinator at 826-2111 x 3694 or via email at greg.martinen@va.gov. |
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