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EPA AND AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION TO RECEIVE THE VICE PRESIDENT’S HAMMER AWARD FOR REDUCING MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Release Date: 06/03/99
Contact Information:
THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1999
EPA AND AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION TO
RECEIVE THE VICE PRESIDENT’S HAMMER AWARD FOR
REDUCING MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT
EPA, the American Hospital Association and the environmental group Health Care Without Harm received the Clinton Administration’s Hammer award for their voluntary efforts to reduce overall hospital waste and eliminate mercury from health care settings. This award is presented to teams of federal employees who have made contributions in support of reinventing government principles and protecting the environment. Last June, EPA and AHA announced a partnership with the goal of reducing hospital waste by 50 percent by 2010. This agreement also included eliminating the hazardous chemical mercury found in blood pressure monitoring devices and thermometers from the waste stream by 2005. The partnership also calls for jointly identifying additional substances to target for pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities. In the future, EPA will work with AHA and Health Care Without Harm to conduct activities that will include developing a Model Mercury Virtual Elimination Plan and a clearinghouse of best practices and technical assistance providers as well as compiling a list of additional substances to be addressed. For more information see the following web sites: http://www.aha.org/memofunder/, https://www.epa.gov/pbt/ and https://www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/ahafact.htm.
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