The EPA Office of Compliance has released a Profile of the Healthcare Industry, part of its Sector Notebook Project which assists various industry sectors in pollution prevention, waste minimization, and regulatory compliance efforts. The Profile contains a wealth of information including waste and emissions profiles, pollution prevention opportunities, a summary of federal statutes and regulations, compliance and enforcement history, and compliance activities and initiatives. The Notebook can be accessed at the EPA's Profile of the Healthcare Industry.

A second extremely valuable resource for healthcare organizations is H2E's new Healthcare Environmental Resource Center, a comprehensive website launched this month which can be accessed at www.hercenter.org. One of the valuable features is an Environmental Compliance and Improvement Guide to “improve compliance with JCAHO Environment of Care Standards.” Another is a section on how EPA regulations apply to healthcare organizations. Both of these can be reached under the Regulations and Standards drop-down menu. The site is still under construction but represents a major step forward in providing relevant compliance and pollution prevention guidance to healthcare.

On an international note, a Swedish website now provides guidance to physicians on choosing pharmaceuticals based on their potential adverse impact on the environment. The website is an effort to promote the most environmentally preferable selection of medication within a therapeutic class by providing information on the persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of drugs in aquatic systems. To understand the classification system, click on About Classification and then click on Environmentally Classified Medications to see the scoring of individual pharmaceuticals. The English version of the site can be accessed at www.janusinfo.se/imcms/servlet/GetDoc?meta_id=7239.

For more information on hazardous materials and hazardous waste handling, contact us at 262-814-2635 or email us at info@pharmecology.com .