(Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 13, 2012) – The University of Kansas Hospital of Kansas City, Kan., will be honored next week by EPA for reducing its volume of solid waste through innovative recycling programs. EPA will present a 2011 WasteWise Gold Achievement Award for waste reduction in the workplace.
The hospital has made significant strides in protecting the environment through recycling, waste reduction, environmentally preferable purchasing, education and community involvement. Since 2010, the hospital has diverted more than 540,000 pounds of solid waste from local landfills.
WasteWise is a free, voluntary EPA program that helps businesses reduce their environmental impact and find cost savings through innovative waste reduction and recycling activities. The program provides an online reporting system called Re-TRAC, which allows members to track waste generation and reduction activities, generate customized reports, and calculate their greenhouse gas emission reductions and environmental impacts.
The University of Kansas Hospital is affiliated with the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions, and its various research projects. The facility contains 576 staffed beds (plus 24 bassinets) and serves nearly 27,000 inpatients annually.
Source: US Environmental Protection Agency