Goals for the future

While the U-M Health System has continued to improve on its eco-conscious efforts, technology and time provide opportunities for improvement along the way.

Reduce waste

The UMHS is working to cut the amount of waste produced in half by 2010, focusing on the reduction of regulated medical waste. In addition, by increasing education about the affects of improperly disposing of items in sinks and drains, the UMHS also hopes to reduce the amount of and improve the quality of the waste water it generates.

Provide education to nursing

While the UMHS already provides education to students in this area, they continue to develop and improve upon curriculum in environmental stewardship for the U-M School of Nursing.

Bring everyone into the fold

The past decade has been met with enormous success, but improvement is never-ending. To tackle the challenge, the UMHS is working to increase faculty, staff and student participation in environmental stewardship efforts through education and communications initiatives. Their goal is to increase visibility of programs so that all faculty, staff and students, whether long-time or new members of the UMHS community, can stay on board and carry their efforts into the future.

Be recognized as 'Champions for Change'

One of the Health System's goals is to be recognized as Champions for Change by Hospitals for a Healthy Environment. The UMHS is currently working to achieve this status by actively promoting our commitment to environmental stewardship within our organization by working to have these values integrated into our culture through environmental policy and institutional goals. In addition, the UMHS must maintain its current practices and strive to meet H2E's goals for mercury and waste reduction, and hazardous chemical and persistent bio accumulative toxin minimization.

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1995

Mercury pollution prevention program begins

In 1995, the U-M and UMHS formally committed itself to reducing mercury pollution. The U-M formed an agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to implement a campus-wide mercury pollution prevention program. The UMHS also formally banned the purchase of mercury containing equipment and supplies wherever possible.

1996 and 1997

While the UMHS didn't win any awards or implement any major programs during this period, they were hard at work preparing for the years to come.

1998

Signing the GLC Memorandum of Understanding, phase out mercury

The American Hospital Association signed the Great Lakes Conference Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency to phase out mercury containing waste in hospitals by 2005.

The UMHS formally pledged to reduce its waste 33 percent by 2005 and 50 percent by 2010 through recycling and other waste reduction programs.

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1999

One of first 100 hospitals to sign 'Making Health Care Mercury Free' pledge

T. Anthony Denton, then associate director for operations for the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, signed a pledge in support of the American Hospital Association and the Environmental Protection Agency's to make medicine mercury free by committing the U-M Health System to Health Care Without Harm's Making Medicine Mercury Free Campaign. Now, Denton, senior associate director and chief operating officer for the UMHHC, continues to support these efforts. Because the UMHS began efforts to eliminate mercury in 1995, they were able to reach their goal of being virtually mercury-free by 2005, six years ahead of schedule.

Promise to convert to steam-sterilization

Health Care without Harm also saluted the UMHS for its decision to convert its waste management processes from incineration to steam-sterilization (autoclaving) by 2000 - a move that promised to reduce harmful air emissions as a result of incineration.

Virtually mercury-free

The UMHS also was able to officially declare itself virtually mercury-free in 1999 - six years ahead of the goal.

Cardboard and paper recycling begins

The UMHS implemented a formal cardboard and paper recycling program in partnership with RecycleMax - a local solid waste disposal and recycling company that provides the UMHS with safe and secure recycling.

Recycle! Collect! Recycle!

The UMHS began efforts to involve the community in its burgeoning recycling efforts by enlisting the help of volunteers to coordinate Recycle! Collect! Recycle! Day, a monthly event that provides a drop-off point for staff, families and visitors to recycle old cell phones, eyeglasses, small electronics, toner cartridges, pop tabs and more. For more details on specific recycling efforts, read about our Eco-friendly programs.

Mercury Free Award

In 1999, Health Care Without Harm - a coalition of more than 200 organizations interested in reducing the environmental impact of the health care industry - praised the UMHS for being one of the first 100 hospitals in the nation to pledge itself to becoming mercury-free with the Mercury Free Award.

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2000

Incinerator no more

The UMHS decommissioned its medical waste incinerator, which had been in operation since University Hospital opened its doors in 1986, to significantly reduce pollution and decrease waste disposal costs.

“Save Your Can” campaign begins

The UMHS implemented a recycling project to capture for-deposit beverage containers by partnering with the Youth Environmental Recycling Program - a community youth program under the auspices of the Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation - to provide collection receptacles, transportation and sorting of the beverage containers. YERP receives $.075 for every $.10 redeemed. The $.025 that UMHS gets to keep is donated to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. This program is still in place today.

Interior Design's 'green' flair

The Department of Interior Design at the UMHS, as part of the environmentally preferable purchasing program, began buying eco-friendly products to use when renovating or redecorating spaces throughout the health System.

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2001

Autoclave opens for business, waste diversion programs begin

The new steam-sterilization unit called the autoclave was installed, resulting an immediate reduction in air pollution emissions and an emphasis on the need to reduce waste produced within the institution.

With the installation of the new autoclave, the UMHS also had to emphasize waste separation to minimize the amount of waste that must be handled by staff and ensure that items are placed into their appropriate waste streams: general waste, regulated medical waste or hazardous waste.

Outstanding Public Recycling Program Award recipient

The UMHS received the Outstanding Public Recycling Program Award - as nominated by RecycleMax, the UMHS's recycling contractor - by the Michigan Recycling Coalition. The UMHS was one of the state's top four recyclers named that year.

The UMHS implemented several innovative programs to divert waste and excess materials from landfills. These programs include capturing bricks, concrete and metal from demolition and renovation sites for reuse in roadbed materials or recycling; separating plastic, paper and glass from cafeteria trays; collecting and donating still viable but expired medical supplies to World Relief; and many more. For a detailed list of programs currently available, visit the Eco-friendly programs Web page.

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2002

UMHS receives two environmental excellence awards

UMHS was one of three hospitals to receive Hospitals for a Healthy Environment's most prestigious award, the Environmental Leadership Award. This award is given to hospitals that have set significant industry standards to reduce the impact of heath care on the environment. For its efforts to significantly reduce the institution's use of mercury, H2E also presented UMHS with the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award.

U-M receives Best School Program award

The National Recycling Coalition recognized U-M's recycling program, which includes UMHS, as the "Best School Program" in the country. The award was due in part to the UMHS plastic recycling program, which at the time, recycled four different grades of plastics generated in the operating rooms.

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2003

MBay - free shopping begins

The UMHS implemented MBay, a new way to dispose of extra equipment, furniture or other items on units and in departments across the Health System that provides an online database to list items no longer needed but still make them available to other units or departments who may have a use for them. This program has been used as a model in other institutions nation-wide and helps to decrease the volume of equipment being sent to Property Disposition for sale or to the landfill. MBay also serves as a resource for unit or department purchasing agents looking for office supplies free of charge.

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2004

New products and reprocessing of old

In 2004, the UMHS began reprocessing certain single-use medical devices following FDA guidelines, and began purchasing recycled sharps containers. The UMHS also began collecting compression sleeves for recycling by a local organization.

Phasing out the lead, selling the paint

The UMHS found a vendor who is able to recycle lead aprons which the UMHS is now replacing with non-lead units. And, when there is a surplus of latex-based paint, it is sold through Property Disposition, which cuts disposal costs significantly.

Know Where to Throw!

The UMHS implemented Know Where to Throw!, a program that aims to re-educate nursing and operating room staff on proper waste disposal methods.

Another Environmental Leadership Award!

The UMHS won its first Sustained Environmental Leadership Award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment this year, it's third award from H2E during the previous two years.

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2005

Second award for sustained environmental leadership

In May, the UMHS received the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment's Sustained Environmental Leadership in Health Care Award (photo) for its innovative work in reducing waste, virtually eliminating mercury, minimizing the use of toxic products and continuing to improve those efforts.

More recycling

The plastics recycling program has been expanded to include all grades of clean recyclable plastics because a new vendor has been identified that will sort and process them all - a more eco-friendly alternative sending the remaining plastics to the landfill or spending excess labor costs for the extra time spent sorting them by hand.

2006

Helping to make everyone an environmental steward

The UMHS has launched the Environmental Stewardship campaign to re-energize its faculty, staff and student's efforts to minimize their impact on the environment in everything that they do.

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