The Washington Post on Tuesday examined how many hospitals and health care professionals "have begun to think greener" in an effort to reduce medical waste and "make their daily operations more environmentally friendly."

According to environmental advocates, the U.S. medical industry disposes of more than two million tons of waste annually, some of which is incinerated and releases dioxin, mercury and other toxins. According to the Post, many health care professionals believe it to be "ironic that the industry we trust to protect our health is releasing substances that may be tied to cancer, diabetes and other illnesses." The Post reports that efforts in recent years have focused on "reducing toxic waste from hospitals and medical offices as well as cutting back on water and energy use." However, some doctors and health care professionals "are also considering changes in their practices that could enhance environmental and patient health."

More than one-quarter of U.S hospitals have joined Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, a government-sponsored "movement to minimize medicine's environmental footprint," the Post reports. Barbara Sattler, director of the Environmental Health Education Center at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, said, "There is an understanding between and among health professionals that the environment is playing a really important part in our health status." Sattler noted that many industry practices, often intended to bolster hygiene and sterility, "may be creating avenues for disease" (Minnema, Washington Post, 7/22).

Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.