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Environmental Services

There are a myriad of environmental programs that fall under the purview of Environmental Services (EVS). EVS staff often have responsibility for the management of regulated medical waste, solid waste and recycling. In some institutions, EVS staff have oversight for hazardous and universal waste management as well as pest management. EVS also retains primary control over the cleaning and disinfection processes for surfaces and floors, in collaboration with Infection Control.

The Environmental Services section of the Practice Greenhealth website includes the following:

Waste Management

Healthcare institutions create large amounts of waste that fall into a variety of categories, including regulated medical waste, liquid waste and sharps, solid waste, recycling, hazardous waste, pharmaceutical waste, organic waste, and construction and demolition debris, to name a few. Learn more about environmentally preferable strategies for dealing with waste management in a healthcare setting.

Sustainable Cleaning Practices, Products and Equipment

The process of cleaning and disinfecting healthcare facilities can involve potentially hazardous substances. Responsible, sustainable practices include reassessing the ways in which healthcare environments are cleaned and disinfected, moving to the use of “green” cleaning products and materials where possible, and initiating utilization of green cleaning equipment and processes. It involves developing and implementing policies that support these practices, and continuously evaluating your progress. “Green” cleaning has become an integral part of efficient, effective, and environmentally sustainable operations in healthcare facilities.

Integrated Pest Management

Pesticide exposures can cause a wide variety of symptoms and reactions in exposed individuals, and many health care facilities are choosing to significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticide use through implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. IPM programs have the potential to reduce staff and patient exposure to toxic substances, reduce compliance obligations and minimize pesticide impacts on the environment from health care facilities.