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Ridgeview Hospital Wins Award
Ridgeview Hospital won a 2003 Governor's
Awards for Excellence in Waste and Pollution Prevention
for its Phosphorus Management Plan for its Sustainable
Mission.
- Ridgeview participates in an ongoing
third-class mail reduction campaign to reduce needless
mail, duplicate mail, and mail that could be shared
(routed) by other individuals.
- Adopted a construction management
plan, which addresses the following sustainable concepts
during planning phases: material reduction, reusable
materials, recycling, toxicity reduction, and protection
of green space.
- The Nutrition Services Department
offers "take home" meals for staff, using
leftovers. This program has helped reduce the amount
of solid waste sent to landfills and also reduced
the suspended solids in the wastewater.
- Sponsored a Residential Mercury
Thermometer Exchange Program, which offered a free
electronic thermometer in exchange for a mercury thermometer
at clinics throughout Carver, McCleod, and Wright
Counties.
- Contracted with a local waste hauler
that rewards, rather than penalizes, recycling efforts.
The hauler is also responsible for touring and making
recommendations to Ridgeview about their collection
habits in order to increase recycling.
- Adopted an Asset Management Plan
that recycles used equipment and furnishings to other
businesses, staff, charitable organizations, or developing
nations.
- Seeking alternative products to
replace in-house products that contain chemicals identified
as toxic by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. In
addition, Ridgeview has modified its purchasing policies
to avoid, whenever possible, products containing toxic
chemicals or mercury.
- Minimized chemotherapy waste by
purchasing the smallest vial size available.
- Obtained mercury-free status.
- Saves water, as well as sewer and
water costs, by reusing condensed water from the cooling
coil and pumping it back into the cooling tower.
In May 2001, Ridgeview Medical Center
changed its mission to become sustainable to improve
community health. To implement the mission, Ridgeview
Medical Center employed Major Environmental Solutions
and Sustainability Associates to perform an eco-audit
to identify challenges and opportunities in and around
Ridgeview. The eco-audit examined the following:
- Energy use and conservation
- Water use and conservation
- Environmental regulatory compliance
and management systems
- Material use and conservation
- Transportation
- Solid waste and pollution prevention;
reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal
- Emissions to air and water
- Design for the Environment
- Assessment of major suppliers
By understanding sustainable practices,
Ridgeview Medical Center adopted an Environmental Awareness
Pledge into the organization's culture and built support
for the program at the staff level. It covers the main
Ridgeview campus, as well as the other 22 properties
operated under Ridgeview's umbrella. The pledge includes
a commitment to reduce waste and the use of resources
and toxic chemicals, while still performing as a leading
health care provider. More specifically, the pledge
includes plans for the virtual elimination of mercury
from the workplace and goals for a 33% reduction of
waste by 2005 and an overall reduction of 50% by 2010.
In addition, Ridgeview Medical Center became a formal
member of Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, which
further strengthened Ridgeview's commitment to sustainability.
Links
Formalin Recovery in Health Care Labs Recovering formalin, used to preserve tissue samples, can decrease the volume of formalin purchased, improve employee safety and reduce regulatory compliance burden. To recover formalin, Ridgeview Medical Center used fractional distillation and Methodist Hospital used filtration.
Governor's
Awards for Excellence in Waste and Pollution Prevention recognize public and private organizations that go beyond traditional waste management practices, demonstrating a superior commitment to waste and pollution prevention, source reduction and resource conservation. Awarded by the governor and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Ridgeview
Keeps the Community Healthy Ridgeview Medical Center
in Waconia has reduced solid waste by eight percent
since January, 2001. When its goal of decreasing solid
waste by 50 percent is achieved, Ridgeview will save
$70,000 in transportation costs alone.
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