LRMC recognized for sustainability

Photo By Marcy Sanchez | Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is recognized with the Partner for Change Award for 2019, part of U.S. Army’s Office of the Surgeon General and U.S. Army Medical Command’s initiative to support Army initiatives for net zero waste.  

LANDSTUHL, RP, GERMANY

04.03.2020

Story by Marcy Sanchez  

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

LANDSTUHL, Germany –For the past decade, Army military treatment facilities have strived to minimize environmental footprints while improving sustainability which encompasses energy, climate change and the natural environment.

As a testament to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s commitment to sustainability, the hospital was recognized with the Partner for Change Award for 2018, part of U.S. Army’s Office of the Surgeon General and U.S. Army Medical Command’s initiative to support the Army’s goal for net zero waste.

Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence Awards recognize health care facilities, health sector suppliers, and member organizations for making a commitment to and progressing toward environmental stewardship and sustainability. The Partner for Change Award recognizes health care facilities that continuously improve and expand upon programs to eliminate mercury, reduce and recycle waste, source products sustainably, and more.

Led by the Environmental Health Service, this is LRMC’s third year in a row receiving the accolades.

“Environmental health conducts over 160 hazardous material and reduced medical waste inspections throughout the year,” said Capt. Gregory Olds, Chief, Environmental Health, LRMC. “The hospital has increased the amount of recyclable material each year resulting in less environmental impact and our regulated medical waste is used in the production of electricity through a recycling facility.”

The net zero waste initiative aims to reduce waste to landfills, increase recycling, reduce use of environmentally-harmful chemicals, and reduce medical and hazardous waste. According to Policy 18-087 issued by the U.S. Army Office of the Surgeon General and U.S. Medical Command, understanding that “First, do no harm” applies to the environment, community and patients, MTFs are positioned to enhance health by leveraging sustainability to improve the patient care environment and provide a healthy workplace, enhance the environment by reducing the environmental impact of facilities and enhance community relations on and off-post through sustainability initiatives.

“The sustainability improvements don’t directly affect patient care; however, the same care that our patients always receive comes with less greenhouse gas emissions than in previous years,” said Olds. “Our mission affects the (European theater) since we cover all Army installations in the region with our inspections, sampling, and surveillance. For the sustainability portion, as the German government continues to increase the amount of renewable energy (now over 42%), our energy consumption results in less emissions.”

Not only is the service responsible for the medical center’s sustainability efforts, they also play a role in efficiency at other American medical facilities throughout Southwestern Germany, clinics in Italy and Belgium. Additionally, Environmental Health hosts a number of training opportunities for the community including food handler’s training, field sanitation course, hazardous material and Environment of Care classes.

According to Olds, LRMC’s efforts go beyond medical and industrial waste and evidenced through the hospital dining facility’s move to healthier and more sustainable selections such as replacing certain menu items with plant-based options and reducing greenhouse emissions while reducing food waste. The introduction of numerous electric vehicles for supply and passenger purposes has also greatly reduced annual emissions output for the organization. Olds believes these efforts will lead the organization to a fourth recognition for 2019.

• Date Taken: 04.03.2020
• Date Posted: 04.03.2020 06:58
• Story ID: 366481
• Location: LANDSTUHL, RP, DE