F aced with the combined impacts of new air pollution control requirements for incinerators and rising waste disposal costs, many hospitals are taking a closer look at their waste-generating practices. The walk-throughs are offered at no cost and do not focus on compliance with environmental regulations. Start-up funding for the project was provided by U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office in Chicago. The technical assistance project was initiated in the Chicago area. So far, facility waste management walk-throughs have been conducted at seven facilities.
Plans are underway to extend the program to downstate facilities.
For years, many hospitals have relied on on-site incineration facilities to disinfect waste which has the potential to transmit an infectious disease. According to U.S. EPA, hospital incinerators are the fourth largest source of industrial mercury emissions. Once in the air, mercury can circulate or fall to the ground with rain or snow. Deposited in water bodies, mercury can become concentrated in the food chain and damage the health of humans, birds and animals that eat fish. Though most people tend to think that hospital waste is laden with needles, body parts, blood and bandages, as much as 85 percent is considered non-infectious solid waste.