Proper tracking and management of materials and wastes is on the mind of all hospitals – regardless of how “sustainable" a hospital may be. The Joint Commission requires that every hospital have a Hazardous Material and Waste Management Plan and a process for managing materials and wastes.

In order to submit a Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award, hospitals are required to submit data on the types and amounts of wastes that are generated. Award thresholds include a less than 10% Regulated Medical Waste rate and a minimum of a 15% recycling rate. The award reviewers also require other waste reduction activities and some details on how hospitals achieved the targets.

Join Janet Howard, Director, Member Engagement and former health care Waste Manager for an overview of the categories that Practice Greenhealth has established in order for hospitals to use a standardized practice for measuring materials and waste. Janet will provide a step by step approach to tracking each waste stream, as required by Practice Greenhealth.

Janet Howard, Director, Member Engagement, Healthier Hospitals jhoward@practicegreenhealth.org

Janet Howard directs Practice Greenhealth's Member Engagement and the development of guidance documents, content, educational opportunities and a community of sharing best practices for the over 1,000 health care members. She also directs the free Healthier Hospitals program, a free program for those just getting started on environmental stewardship. Janet pioneered environmental interventions in health care from 1991-2004 for Continuum Health Partners in New York City. She is a frequent writer on health care sustainability issues for outlets like Greenbiz, CSR Wire and Health Care Design Magazine. You can read Janet's columns on her linked in page and follow her on twitter @janny14. Janet lives in Amherst, MA.

Read Janet's Green Columns.