P2 in Healthcare: Healthy Hospitals

Hospitals generate large amounts of diverse wastes on a daily basis - estimates suggest about 13.2 million pounds nationally.
Federal, State and local initiatives are helping hospitals reduce their waste generation in very tangible ways. Come hear about California and Nevada efforts and the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment Partnership and their concrete environmental results - mercury reduced, water and energy saved, and solid waste minimized and recycled.

California's Hospital Pollution Prevention Program
By Jack McGurk

The presentation will discuss how pollution prevention strategies have successfully been implemented in hospitals within California to remove mercury, reduce wastes, improve system operations, increase worker safety, ensure patient health and improve operational economics. The hospital pollution prevention program works with a broad range of hospital staff, suppliers and regulatory agencies to achieve results. Tools to assist in the documentation and tracking of achievements have been developed and are available for use by the attendees. Innovative products that assist the hospital¹s pollution prevention efforts will be discussed.

Jack McGurk
Jack McGurk is Chief of the Environmental Management Branch of the California Department of Health Services in Sacramento, California. He is responsible for the oversight of eight environmental health programs including the Medical Waste Management Program. Mr. McGurk has a Bachelors degree in Biology and a Masters degree in Public Administration. He has been employed in the public health field for over 36 years, working for health departments at both the county and state levels.

Mr. McGurk played a key role in developing the legislation that became the California Medical Waste Management Act. Mr. McGurk is currently leading a pollution prevention partnership project with California hospitals to reduce the solid and medical wastes they generate and eliminate mercury from their waste streams. The program was honored with a 2002 Champion for Change Award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment for promoting pollution prevention in healthcare facilities.

Mr. McGurk is a Past President of the California Environmental Health Association. He also serves as a member of the Environmental and Public Health Council of Underwriters Laboratory. Mr. McGurk is a member of the Editorial Board for Infection Control Today.

Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste Management
By Mike Verchick, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)

The presentation covers the manner in which NDEP addressed the issue of pharmaceutical hazardous waste management and regulatory gray areas (committee process), the hazardous waste regulations (generator status, lists and characteristics), listed and characteristic pharmaceutical waste identification, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals that are regulated, several regulatory interpretations applicable in Nevada, the pharmaceutical returns industry and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater

MICHAEL J. VERCHICK
Mike Verchick has been an Inspector in the Bureau of Waste Management, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) since May, 1993. He is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. His duties include the enforcement of Nevada's hazardous waste management regulations (RCRA) in the southern half of the state.

From June, 1982 until May, 1993, Mr. Verchick was an Inspector for the Nevada Division of Agriculture and US Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service. His duties included the enforcement of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) regulations and the inspection of civilian and military aircraft arriving in Southern Nevada at Port of Entry airports for compliance with plant quarantine regulations. Mr. Verchick has also worked For US Customs as an Inspector at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

Mr. Verchick graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1980 and also obtained an Associate of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) in 1994. He has also taught nine different courses in horticulture and environmental studies and serves on the Advisory Board for the Environmental Restoration Technologies program at CCSN.

Mr. Verchick can be reached at:

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
1771 E. Flamingo Road, Suite 121-A
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Telephone: (702) 486-2749, fax: (702) 486-2863