Waste Assessment for Healthcare Facilities

Under the EPA grant, SHWEC is offering to do ten waste assessments in healthcare facilities in 2008. To be eligible for this free assistance, facilities are expected to join the organization in WI for fostering sustainability in healthcare.

What a SHWEC waste assessment is:

A waste assessment is a chance for you to get an independent opinion of how your facility is managing its wastes and recommendations for reducing the amount and toxicity of those wastes. The assessment lasts only a day or less.

Typically, the SHWEC pollution prevention specialist will first meet with you and key waste generators in your facility (e.g., the environmental committee or heads of housekeeping, laboratory, facility managers, purchasing, etc.). Then the specialist will walk through your facility with you for a couple hours, identifying wastes and opportunities for pollution prevention. The specialist may point out ways in which you might be out of compliance with DNR and EPA regulations, but the focus of the assessment is more on waste reduction and recycling. The specialist will want to see your waste storage areas, laboratory (if any), and any areas where you have questions about waste management, such as the pharmacy, kitchen or patient areas. After the walk-through, the specialist will sit down with you and your key waste generators to discuss the findings.

The specialist will follow up the assessment with a letter summarizing the findings and recommendations. The letter will be sent to the person requesting the assessment, who may then forward it to whomever he/she wishes.

What a SHWEC waste assessment is not:

It is not a complete audit of your facility's waste. It's a short walk through to identify some, but not all pollution prevention opportunities.

It is not a compliance inspection. The specialists may notice potential violations of DNR and EPA rules, but do not focus on compliance.

It is not a regulatory assessment. SHWEC will not report any of its findings to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

To schedule a waste assessment:

Contact Steve Brachman at SHWEC, at 414-227-3160 or by e-mail.