Compliance Assistance & Pollution Prevention in New England
Healthcare: Pollution Prevention & Best Management Practices
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Index of Topics
- Best Management Practices
- Climate Change
- Energy
- Environmental Management Systems
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
- Food
- Green Buildings
- Greening the Supply Chain
- Greenscapes
- Mercury
- Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Stormwater
- Sustainability
- Transportation
- Waste Management
- Water Conservation
Best Management Practices
- EPA New England Hospital Environmental Assessment Template - An Environmental Compliance & Pollution Prevention Tool (PDF) (8 pp, 281 K)
- Best Management Practices Catalog for Colleges & Universities
- Practice Greenhealth Eco-Checklist for Operations (2009) (PDF) (10 pp, 316 K)
Climate Change
- Change tools and resources from Health Care Without Harm
- Climate Literacy Webinars (recorded) and powerpoint presentations
- Addressing Climate Change in the Health Care Setting Opportunities for Action (PDF) (12 pp, 865 K)
- EPA Climate Change
- Practice Greenhealth Climate
- Building Health Care Sector Resilience, Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health Care Facilities Toolkit
To assist with building resilience, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed the Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health Care Facilities Toolkit. Developed through a public-private partnership with the health care industry, the toolkit consists of an overview guide document and a suite of online tools and resources that highlight emerging best practices for developing sustainable and climate-resilient health care facilities. The guide provides a compilation of information on threats to health care facilities posed by extreme weather events and ways in which organizations around the country are responding to those threats. - Primary Protection: Enhancing Health Care Resilience for a Changing Climate, December 2014 (PDF) (86 pp, 1.9 MB)
- HHI Case Study: Partners HealthCare Redefines Resilience and Restoration in Innovative Waterfront Hospital 4/14 Patient rooms, May 2014
Energy
Energy Star
- Apply for Energy Star Certification
- Become an Energy Star Partner
- Building Upgrade Manual
- Commercial Kitchen Package
- Design to Use Energy Star
- Energy Star for Healthcare
- Benchmarking Starter Kit
- Energy Star Healthcare Energy Savings Financial Analysis Calculator
- Internet Presentations
- Labeled Healthcare Facility Profiles
- Energy Design Guidance
- Purchasing and Procurement
- Portfolio Manager
- ENERGY STAR Change the World Pledge Drive
- Senior Care Resources
- Power Management: Energy Star Low Carbon IT Campaign
State Programs
- Efficiency Maine
- Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
The state's development agency for renewable energy and the innovation economy funds projects and studies in a range of areas, including green buildings, green power, and solar energy. - Efficiency Vermont
- Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
- Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund
- NH Office of Energy and Planning
- Commerce RI: Renewable Energy Fund
Advanced Energy Design Guide: Small Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
For small hospitals and healthcare facilities up to 90,000 ft2 in size, which require a wide variety of heating and air-conditioning equipment. Options for daylighting, an important cost-saving measure, are included. These guides have been developed through the collaboration of ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with support from the Department of Energy (DOE), to help meet all of an owner's energy performance requirements. In an effort to promote building energy efficiency, ASHRAE and its partners have made these guides available for download (PDF) at no charge.
Large Hospital 50% Energy Savings: Technical Support Document (PDF) (188 pp, 4.8 MB)
Details the technical analysis performed and the resulting design guidance that will enable large hospitals to achieve whole-building energy savings of at least 50% over the above standard. Report also documents the modeling methods used to demonstrate how the design recommendations will help institutions meet or exceed the 50% energy-savings goal.
Energy Department for 50% More Energy Efficient Hospitals, May 2012
This latest guide will help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly efficient hospital buildings, helping to save energy and cut facility operational costs. The 50% AEDG series provides a practical approach for designers and builders of large hospitals, and other major commercial building types, to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the building energy code used in many parts of the nation.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. By installing a CHP system designed to meet the thermal and electrical base loads of a facility, CHP can increase operational efficiency and decrease energy costs, while reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
- Treatment of CHP in LEED for Building Design and Construction: New Construction and Major Renovations (PDF) (13 pp, 1.2 MB)
This fact sheet introduces CHP and its benefits and summarizes how CHP is treated under LEED BD+C: New Construction. Sections highlight CHP's benefits, its demonstrated LEED point impact, and how to account for CHP in LEED energy modeling. - The LEED CHP Calculator (XLSM) (460 K)
This Excel-based tool estimates the energy cost savings and LEED points a building can achieve using CHP instead of separate heat and power (purchased utility electricity and an onsite boiler). The calculator is intended to be used by building design teams at the very early stages of building design to approximate the energy cost savings and LEED points from a CHP system. - EPA CHP Partnership
- EPA CHP webinars
- Database of CHP Policies and Incentives (dCHPP)
An online database that allows users to search for CHP policies and incentives by state or at the federal level. - EPA CHP fact sheet: Waste Heat to Power Systems, May 2012 (PDF) (9 pp, 660 K)
"Waste Heat to Power Systems" provides facility managers, developers, and other interested parties with an overview of WHP's technical and economic potential and a summary of market factors. - Fact sheet: CHP as a Boiler Replacement Opportunity, March 2013 (PDF) (6 pp, 255 K)
- White Paper-Combined Heat and Power: A Clean Energy Solution, 8/30/12 (PDF) (24 pp, 927 K)
- Combined Heat and Power Resource Guide for Hospital Applications (PDF) (81 pp, 3.8 MB)
- US Department of Energy CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships: Northeast
- Eastern Maine Medical Center CHP information including real time data
- North County Hospital (VT) Biomass CHP project (PDF) (4 pp, 86 K)
- Cooley Dickinson 500 KW BIOMASS CHP Plant Project Profile (PDF) (81 pp, 3.8 MB)
- South Oaks Hospital: 1.3 MW CHP Application (PDF) (2 pp, 168 K)
Powering the future of healthcare, September 2013 (PDF) (64 pp, 4.2 MB)
Healthcare CHP guide put out by HCWH/Boston Green commission
Guide to Using Combined Heat and Power for Enhancing Reliability and Resiliency in Buildings, September 2013 (PDF) (20 pp, 834 K)
The Advanced Manufacturing Office is pleased to announce the release of a new guide developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide practical information on what factors must be considered when configuring a CHP system to operate independently of the grid and what steps are typically involved in CHP project development.
Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Industrial Technologies Program
The Industrial Technologies Program works with U.S. industry to improve industrial energy efficiency and environmental performance. Find software tools (pumps, motors, fans, steam systems, process heaters), training and other useful information.
DOE Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs, July 2010 (PDF) (23 pp, 830 K)
DOE provides technical assistance on types of roofing materials and how to select the roof that will work best on a specific facility.
EnergyPlus Version 8.1
The US Department of Energy latest version of EnergyPlus.
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) State Energy Efficiency Policy Web site
Online database of energy efficiency policies in the states, searchable by state or by policy. The database covers: 1) appliance standards; 2) building codes; 3) clean distributed generation policies, 4) tax incentives, 5) vehicle policies and 6) a host of utility-related energy efficiency information
Building performance database
The U.S. Department of Energy launched a publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information. The database will allow users to access energy performance data on over 60,000 commercial and residential buildings across the country, including their location, age, size and function, electricity and fuel consumption, equipment information, and operational characteristics.
Energy & New England's Environment
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Energy
Premier: Energy reduction, efficiency website
The website has information on how to get started, low/no cost measures, as well as tools, sample policies, resources, case studies, and tips for success, for lighting, air filters, heating and air conditioning, financing, and a list of their contracted suppliers.
Metropolitan Boston Health Care Energy Profile for 2011-2013
This report summarizes an analysis of over 18,000 energy and green house gas records covering 22 million square feet of metro Boston hospitals, in a first-in-the-nation, metro sector-wide database. Developed for the Boston Green Ribbon Commission's Health Care Working Group (GRC-HC) by its coordinator, Health Care Without Harm, the data tracks the sector's collective progress towards the GRC's shared goals of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020, and 80% by 2050.
Energy Information and Resources for Hospitals in New Hampshire, April 2015 (PDF) (32 pp, 1.1 MB)
Energy Information and Resources for Hospitals in Massachusetts, December 2014 (PDF) (36 pp, 2.5 MB)
Healthcare Energy Case Studies
- An Energy Success Story: Monadnock Community Hospital Peterborough, New Hampshire. May 2015 (PDF) (2 pp, 713 K)
- Concord Hospital: Saving Energy While Simultaneously Reducing Costs, April 2015 (PDF) (2 pp, 501 K)
- Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Two-Phase Strategy to Energy Reduction and Cost Savings, April 2015 (PDF) (2 pp, 202 K)
- Southcoast Health: A Multi-Prong Approach to Energy Efficiency, July 2014 (PDF) (2 pp, 211 K)
- Baystate Health: Bending the Cost Curve, July 2014 (PDF) (2 pp, 935 K)
- Boston Medical Center - A Commitment to Leaner Energy, June 2014 (PDF) (2 pp, 862 K)
- Partners HealthCare Strategic Energy Master Plan, March 2012 (PDF) (1 pg, 198 K)
- Franklin Community Health Network (PDF) (2 pp, 780 K)
Franklin Community Health Network made energy efficient improvements by installing energy efficient HVAC, VFDs and lighting systems - HHI Case Studies
- GreenCorner Case Studies (includes several energy case studies)
Environmental Management Systems
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
College & University Environmental Management System Guide
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program
Find a database of "green" procurement language, EPP publications, case studies, policy documents, tip sheets, and federal EPP links on the Internet.
- Practice Greenhealth: EPP 10 step guide (PDF) (4 pp, 198 K)
Practice Greenhealth, Green Cleaning
- H2E 10 Step Guide to Green Cleaning Implementation (PDF) (8 pp, 272 K)
ENERGY STAR Purchasing & Procurement
Find a database of energy efficient products, energy savings calculators, purchasing specifications, and a vendor locator.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
"EPEAT" is a procurement tool to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes (including energy efficiency).
Guide to Choosing Safer Products and Chemicals – Implementing Chemicals Policy in Healthcare, May 2008 (PDF) (39 pp, 2.7 MB)
Green Chemical Alternatives Wizard
This web-based tool provides information on chemical alternatives for some of the most commonly used hazardous solvents and substances in research laboratories.
Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES), new web-based application
Pharos Project
Developing a framework for comparing products.
EPP Case Studies in Healthcare
Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative
The Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC) advances the introduction and use of biobased products that are sustainable throughout their lifecycle by creating strong sustainability guidelines, encouraging markets, and promoting policy initiatives
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Chemicals
Cleaning in Healthcare Facilities, April 2009 (PDF) (42 pp, 1.6 MB)
Green Cleaning in Healthcare, September 2011 (PDF) (56 pp, 1.9 MB)
Sustainable Resilient Flooring Choices for Hospitals, December 2010 (PDF) (56 pp, 1.8 MB)
Green Chemistry Connection
The “Green Chemistry Connection” is an online community of green chemistry practitioners and an information clearinghouse of resources to support their work. It is designed to facilitate the exchange of information, ideas, and expertise on one easy-to-access and use web platform.
Chemicals Clearinghouse (IC2) Alternatives Assessment Guide, January 2014 (PDF) (176 pp, 2.6 MB)
Transitioning to Safer Chemicals: A Toolkit for Employers and Workers
OSHA launched its toolkit for safer chemicals. It's a great overview of the steps involved in alternatives assessment and the most salient resources for supporting this work.
ChemView
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a web-based tool, called ChemView, to significantly improve access to chemical specific regulatory information developed by EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Food
EPA's Food Waste Management Cost Calculator
Reducing Food Waste for Businesses
Composting – Practice Greenhealth
Ten Step Guide to composting (Produced by H2E) (PDF) (3 pp 393 K)
Health Care Without Harm Food site
- Balanced Menus
- Education on Nutrition, Food Systems and Policy- webinar series
- Healthy Food Pledge
- Food Resource HCWH page
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing: Food Technical Brief, Green Guide for Health Care Food Service Credits 1-7 (PDF) (12 pp, 234 K)
The Green Guide developed a set of Technical Briefing papers written by practitioners with diverse expertise to provide in-depth information related to credits in the Green Guide along with strategies and case studies. - Green Guide for Health Care Food Credits Overview (PDF) (5 pp, 131 K)
The Green Guide for Health Care Operations Section has been revised to include a food credits section. - "Toolkit" for Planning, Tracking and Benchmarking Your Healthy Food Progress
This planning and benchmarking suite offers templates, tools and tracking sheets to support hospital food service departments in utilizing the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) Food Service Credits to plan, implement and track their progress towards achieving sustainable operations in their facilities. Utilization of the Toolkit will also enable hospitals to compile and share actual data on their sustainability-related food service achievements to the general public, media and other interested parties.
Sustainable Food – Practice Greenhealth
Find a Composter
A data base for locating a composting facility in your area.
Reuse in New England: Donation Programs: Food
EPA Food Recovery Challenge
How much of your food and money are you literally throwing away? The WasteWise Food Recovery Challenge encourages participants to reduce, donate, and recycle as much of their food waste as possible saving money and helping protect the environment. Participants will conduct a food waste assessment, undertake three specific waste reduction activities, create a food waste recovery plan, and report progress using WasteWise ReTRAC. Participating organizations will receive recognition for their Challenge achievements. In addition, WasteWise will present a Food Recovery Challenge award for at least the next three years.
HUNGERPEDIA, launched by Rock and Wrap it up
Hungerpedia is a resource which matches agencies-in-need with donors of food and other assets.
LeanPath food waste free downloads
The Hospital Wrap!
Rock and Wrap It Up began an excess food recovery program with Yale-New Haven hospital in Connecticut. Yale-New Haven Hospital has two campuses. Find out more about Rock and Wrap It Up's new Hospital Wrap! Program from the Hospital Wrap summary page and read the detailed case study about the work done by Yale-New Haven Hospital in CT. The full case study report (PDF) (3 pp 100 K).
Healthcare Food Reduction Case Studies
- Sanford USD Medical Center (PDF) (1 pg, 189 K)
- Gundersen Health System (PDF) (1 pg, 191 K)
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital (PDF) (2 pp 1.2 MB)
- UnityPoint Health (PDF) (2 pp 1.1 MB)
- Green Healthcare Programme case studies
- Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center's food recycling successes (PDF) (4 pp 302 K)
- 2013 Menu for Change Report (PDF) (28 pp 1.8 MB)
- 2011 Menu for Change Report
- 2008 Menu for Change Report
Healthcare Food Reduction Articles
- Practice Greenhealth: Reducing Food Waste
- Practical Plan For Hospital Food Waste Recovery, BioCycle September 2012
- Hospital Chain On Board With Food Scraps Diversion, BioCycle December 2012
- Federal Agencies Get With The Food Recycling Program, BioCycle June 2013
Reducing Food Waste: A How to Guide for Businesses and Institutions, Updated June 2013 (PDF) (10 pp 131 K)
This guide has a lot of good donation, farm and industrial use options for MA facilities in the fact sheet (Produced by MA DEP)
On‐Site Systems for Processing Food Waste: A Report to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, April 2013 (PDF) (55 pp 1.6 MB)
Green Buildings
Practice Greenhealth Green Design and Construction
Healthcare Without Harm Healthy Buildings page
Healthcare Environmental Resource Center Green Buildings page
EPA New England Green Buildings
Green Guide for Health Care
This toolkit provides guidance for integrating enhanced environmental health principles and practices into the planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance of healthcare facilities. The Green Guide for Health Care is available as a free download (registration required).
U.S. Green Building Council
This broad coalition from the construction industry, financial sector, government, and public interest organizations develops and promotes green building principles.
LEED for healthcare redline v2009 - current version
Healthy Building Network
Find information on green building topics specific to the healthcare sector
Center for Health Design
Through research, education, advocacy and technical assistance, the Center supports healthcare and design professionals in their efforts to improve the quality of healthcare through evidence-based building design.
Building Healthy Hospitals: Top 5 Green Building Strategies for Healthcare
EPA Region 9 collaborated with green building experts from across the United States as part of its "Building Healthy Hosptials" project. For an overview of the project and to access the case studies for each of the 5 Top Green Building Strategies for Healthcare: Energy Efficiency—Integrated Design and HVAC Systems, Process Water Efficiency, Sustainable Flooring Material Selection, Indoor Air Quality: Materials Selection, and Lighting Efficiency—Optimizing Artificial and Natural Lighting
The Business Case for the Greening the Health Care Sector (PDF) (36 pp, 1.4 MB)
Healthcare Leadership Evidence-Based Design Resources for Healthcare Executives
A series of resources to help healthcare decision makers become familiar with Evidence Based Design (EBD) and begin to implement it into their building projects.
Clinic Design - Transforming Primary Care Environments
Many clinics and health centers across the country have the opportunity to venture out into new facility projects and renovations. This website serves as a resource for facilities undertaking a new health center project or renovation to provide information on evidence-based design, including easy-to-adopt design and operational strategies to improve clinic outcomes.
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Building Design and Construction
Greening the Supply Chain
Practice Greenhealth Greening the Supply Chain
Practice Greenhealth Standardized Environmental Questions for Medical Products (PDF) (10 pp, 540 K)
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Supply Chain
GreenScapes
Environmentally Beneficial Landscaping
GreenScaping can save you money and prevent pollution.
GreenScapes Tools
Find downloadable on-line calculators that allow you to compare costs (e.g. between environmentally preferable methods, using virgin materials). The calculators demonstrate that these activities are often cost competitive and provide numerous environmental benefits. They can aid in your decision making and implementation of more sustainable landscape design, construction, and operations and maintenance.
GreenScapes Activity List
An interactive, electronic document with simple, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions to increase resource efficiency-and try to integrate some of them into your site planning and management.
The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES)
Launched in November 2009, SITES is voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for sustainable land design, construction and maintenance practices. The credits focus on protecting and restoring clean air and water, diverse microclimates, healthy ecosystems, and human health and well being. Credits ranging from stormwater management and hydrodynamics, soil health, air and water pollution reduction and abatement, and human wellbeing are designed to be applicable to a range of landscape based projects such as large campuses, public parks, conservation areas, recreation areas, and transportation and utility corridors.
Mercury
Healthcare Environmental Resource Center Mercury in Healthcare page
EPA: Information for Healthcare Providers
Information about the Making Mercury Medicine Free Award
Please note this is no longer an EPA award.
Mercury Product Fact Sheets, The Interstate Mercury Education & Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC)
The Mercury Product Fact Sheets contain information about the amount of mercury used in products, why mercury has been or continues to be used in the product, manufacturers of these products, and other useful information.
Training Video on Mercury Waste in Hospitals from HCWH, 10/31/11
Mercury in Dental Amalgam and Resin-Based Alternatives: A Comparative Health Risk Evaluation, June 2012 (PDF) (71 pp, 2.6 MB)
Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Pest Management Practice Greenhealth Key IPM Resources
Pesticides, Healthcare Environmental Resource Center (HERC)
Healthy Hospitals Controlling Pests Without Harmful Pesticides, Beyond Pesticides and Healthcare without Harm (PDF) (62 pp, 614 K)
Taking Toxics out of Maryland's Health Care Sector (2008), Beyond Pesticides and Maryland Pesticide Network (PDF) (40 pp, 442 K)
National Strategies for Health Care Providers: Pesticide Initiative
The Initiative, established in 1998 by EPA and the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Service, Agriculture, and Labor, is aimed at improving the training of health care providers in the recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pesticide poisonings among those who work with pesticides.
Stormwater
Soak Up the Rain
EPA New England launched Soak up the Rain to raise awareness about stormwater and encourage citizens, businesses, and communities to take action to help soak up the rain and reduce the runoff that flows into streams, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Find extensive resources, connect to local organizations, and share pictures and stories at the Soak up the Rain flickr group.
Low Impact Development (LID)
National LID home page. Contains extensive EPA and Non-EPA resources and publications
Pollution Prevention Plans for Construction Activities
Green Infrastructure – Technologies and Approaches
University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center
Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes, 10/31/2011
Stormwater Mitigation Technical Brief (2007), Green Guide for Health Care (PDF) (7 pp, 593 K)
IFMA Sustainability “How-To Guide” Series Sustainable Landscaping, June 2010 (PDF) (44 pp, 2.4 MB)
Presentations
Articles
- Kent Hospital Encourages Sustainable Landscapes, 3/20/13
- Transition to Sustainability at Kent Hospital, Warwick, Rhode Island, 10/14/12
- Going Green with Rain Gardens, June 8, 2012 Summary of the EPA rain garden training held at Brockton VA in June 2012
- VA New England Healthcare System Veterans' Healthy Living, Spring 2012 (page 7) Discusses and has a picture of the first EPA VA rain garden training in LEED on September 12, 2012 (PDF) (8 pp, 2 MB)
- VA Campus Takes on Healing Gardens, 7/27/11
Sustainability
Sustainable Hospitals
Support for selecting products and work practices
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals
Healthcare: A Business & Ethical Case for Sustainability (PDF) (8 pp, 413 K)
Healthcare systems recognize their responsibility to contribute to health - inside and outside -hospital walls.
Sustainability Guides for Facility Managers, International Facility Management Association
A series of free Sustainability Guides provide data and information associated with a wide range of sustainability subjects, share examples of successfully implemented sustainable practices, and help organizations develop a business case and Return on Investment analysis for facility sustainability.
Creating a Culture of Sustainability, 4/1/12 (PDF) (32 pp, 1.9 MB)
Sustainability seeks to balance and simultaneously optimize environmental, social and financial concerns. Sustainability in healthcare represents a particularly challenging undertaking as it necessarily encompasses the wide variety of facilities, operations and activities in a typical healthcare organization. This exploratory study examines the organizational approaches of eight healthcare systems with relatively successful sustainability initiatives.
The Growing Importance of More Sustainable Products in the Global Health Care Industry, 2012 (PDF) (11 pp, 421 K)
A research study commissioned by Johnson and Johnson
Transportation
Diesel Emission Reductions
- Northeast Diesel Collaborative homepage
- Northeast Diesel Collaborative Diesel Emissions Reduction Toolkit for Colleges/Universities, Hospitals, and Municipalities
- Northeast Diesel Collaborative model construction spec (PDF) (6 pp, 94 K)
- Clean Construction USA
SmartWay Transport Partnership, US EPA
A voluntary partnership between various freight industry sectors and EPA that establishes incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
Diesel Cleanup Campaign: Local & State Diesel Clean-Up Advocacy page
Clean Construction Policies at Healthcare Facilities: Protecting Patient and Community Health, Fact sheet dated 1/12/12 (PDF) (2 pp, 471 K)
Clean Construction Policy - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - April 2011 (PDF) (8 pp, 234 K)
Waste Management
Practice Greenhealth Waste Reduction Website
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Waste
EPA WasteWise
Waste Wise is a free, voluntary partnership program sponsored by the EPA, through which organizations reduce municipal solid waste, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. Waste Wise is flexible, allowing partners to design waste reductions programs tailored to meet their needs. To join Waste Wise
Reuse in New England
A guide to donation opportunities for businesses, local governments, and residents
to promote reuse over traditional solid waste disposal of materials that
still have "use."
Northeast Recycling Council (NERC)
A multi-state non-profit organization committed to environmental and economic sustainability through responsible solid waste management, NERC programs emphasize source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), and decreasing the toxicity of the solid waste stream in the 10-state region comprised of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Call2Recycle
Call2Recycle is a free program for healthcare facilities to recycle used rechargeable batteries found in many cordless electronic devices, such as infusion pumps, crash carts, cordless surgical equipment, electric wheelchairs, laptop computers, cordless power tools, PDAs, two-way radios, and cell phones.
Reuse Marketplace
An Internet-based materials reuse exchange program that connects members who have items they no longer need with others who can use them. A wide variety of materials are accepted into the exchange, such as storage containers, industrial and office equipment, furniture, cabinets, plumbing/heating/lighting fixtures, food residuals, wood/pallets, office partitions, fabric scraps, paving stones, nursery pots, 5-gallon buckets, construction materials, art supplies, and more.
Clinical Recycling at Stanford Hospital and clinics: A Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council Pilot Study, December 2013 (PDF) (72 pp, 2.2 MB)
Resource Management Case Study Shattuck Hospital (PDF) (3 pp, 1.1 MB)
EPA's eCycling
EPA is working to educate consumers and others on why it is important to reuse and recycle electronics and what the options are for safe reuse and recycling of these products. This website offers: basic information, information on where to donate, regulations/standards, frequently asked questions and resources.Health Care Without Harm's Electronics and Computer Website
Construction & Demolition (C&D) Debris
C&D Debris
Construction and demolition (C&D) debris consists of waste that is generated during new construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. C&D debris often contains bulky, heavy materials that include: concrete, wood, and asphalt (from roads and roofing shingles); gypsum (the main component of drywall); metals, bricks, glass, and plastics; and salvaged building components, such as doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures.Use this site to access a range of resources from New England and beyond to help you reduce, reuse, and recycle waste during construction, renovation, deconstruction, and demolition, and to help you understand some of the environmental issues associated with C&D debris.
Recycling Construction and Demolition Wastes - A Guide for Architects and Contractors, April 2005 (PDF) (57 pp, 1.8 MB)
The Institution Recycling Network wrote this guidance document as an introduction and "how to" for job site recycling.Calculating the Cost Effectiveness of Recycling C&D, Northeast Recycling Council November 2012 (PDF) (2 pp, 51 K)
EPA's Incident Waste Decision Support Tool
EPA's Incident-Waste (I-Waste) tool helps communities manage waste resulting from natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados, and wild fires or oil spills or even following a terrorist attack. I-Waste can be used to access information, regulations, and guidance to Ensure safe and efficient removal, transport, and disposal of waste materials. The tools provide access to information such as regulatory contacts at the local, state, and federal levels; the amount and type of waste to expect in specific situations; contacts for handling, transporting, treating, and disposing of waste and debris; and lessons learned from previous events. Some unique features of the tool include a waste materials estimator, links to treatment and disposal facility databases, and a template that allows users to create incident planning and response records.
Water Conservation
Practice Greenhealth Water Conservation
Sustainability Roadmap for Hospitals: Water
Energy Star Data Trends: Water Use Tracking
By tracking water use alongside energy use, you can better understand how these resources relate to one another, make integrated management decisions that increase overall efficiency, and verify savings from improvement projects in both energy and water systems. Organizations that manage water and energy performance together can take advantage of this relationship to create greener, more sustainable buildings.
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Water Efficiency & Management for Hospitals
Water Efficiency: Health Care Facilities, 2013 (PDF) (4 pp, 70 K)