French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) has been awarded a Making Medicine Mercury Free Award. This national award will be accepted today at the 2009 Environmental Excellence Awards Ceremony in Chicago, Illinois. This award is given by Practice Greenhealth, a national membership organization for health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations. It designates exceptional efforts to rid the health care sector of the harmful chemical mercury, commonly used in medical care. For each award presented, the organization will sponsor the planting of 100 trees in Haiti.
The Practice Greenhealth Making Medicine Mercury-Free award recognizes institutions that have virtually eliminated the use of mercury in their facilities and have demonstrated a commitment to continue to be mercury-free. FHMC received this award because of its recycling programs and vendor purchasing agreements that reduce products containing mercury, such as light bulbs, thermometers, thermostats and clinical devices in labs and pharmacies. FHMC also provides mercury-free replacements for these materials where possible. FHMC is making great strides in its recycling, reducing and reusing programs.
“Reducing the environmental footprint involves the elimination of contaminants and pollutants one by one,” said Bob Jarboe, Executive Director of Practice Greenhealth. “Until recently mercury was an integral part of health care operations. Now the Making Medicine Mercury-Free Award recognizes our determination to reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with the use of mercury in every health care facility.”
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. It is a source of environmental solutions for the health care sector. For more information on Practice Greenhealth, healthy initiatives, current trends, news and views, and other links to earth-friendly organizations, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.
For more information, please contact Megan Maloney at 805.542.6498.
