Mercury > Mercury-reduction partnerships > Hospitals

Mercury-reduction Partnerships - Hospitals

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) are working together under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help hospitals prevent pollution and promote healthy communities. This MOU encourages hospitals to:

• Eliminate mercury-containing products
• Eliminate mercury waste
• Reduce total solid waste
• Minimize the use and production of Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) pollutants
• Increase sustainable practices

Your hospital can be part of this effort to eliminate mercury and reduce waste by:

• Following best management practices outlined in Ecology’s Hospital BMP Guide
• Sign up as a H2E Partner for Change
• Implement environmentally preferable purchasing policies to reduce hazardous substances

Ecology’s recent activities include:

• Best Management Practices for Hospital Waste Developed a comprehensive guide for hospitals
• Memorandum of Understanding with the Washington State Hospital Association
• Ecology works with Hospitals for a Healthy Environment as a Champion for Change.
• Hospital Survey Ecology and WSHA surveyed hospitals in Spring 2006 and again in Spring 2007 to measure successes in mercury elimination and waste reductions. This is a pdf of a Power Point presentation on the results by Rob Menaul of WSHA.

Ecology won the 2006 Champion for Change Award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) for technical assistance in Pollution Prevention and the development of the Best Management Practices for Hospital Waste.

Workshops and Seminars

No new workshops are scheduled at this time.

Proceedings from past Workshops and Seminars

Presentations are available here:

Pharmaceutical Waste Management Seminar—June 21, 2007
Spokane Hospital Waste Reduction Conference—September 19, 2006
Shoreline Hospital Waste Reduction Conference—October 24, 2006

Related information:

Washington State Department of Ecology Mercury Chemical Action Plan
Pharmaceutical Waste Management
Dental Best Management Practices
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) – External Link
Department of Health Map of Hospitals in Washington State – External Link