University Times

UPMC has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments to help develop a comprehensive environmental stewardship and disease prevention program, building on already extensive “green” efforts throughout the health system.

UPMC will establish a new senior leadership position, director of environmental initiatives, to promote healthy work and patient care environments in all UPMC facilities. The director will develop system-wide environmental policies, borrowing from successful practices around the world, and coordinate research initiatives for improving environmentally friendly operations.

“UPMC already has demonstrated its commitment to environmental stewardship, but with this grant, we intend to become an industry leader in defining best practices in this area for the benefit of our employees, patients and communities,” said William Smith, UPMC’s director of environmental health and safety.”

Ellen Dorsey, environment program officer at The Heinz Endowments, noted that UPMC is committed to expanding research on environmental links to disease, to training medical professionals to recognize such links, to community outreach and education on environmental issues and to modeling prevention by greening the health system’s own operations.

UPMC’s award-winning environmental efforts include removal of all mercury-containing items found in lab thermometers, thermostats and other devices at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside; recycling of more than 1 million pounds of paper annually, and planning for the installation of a solar panel array on the roof of the Hillman Cancer Center.

UPMC also is building one of the first environmentally sustainable pediatric hospitals, where resources such as energy, water, materials and land will be used more efficiently. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for two buildings on its new campus, under construction in Lawrenceville.

In September, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment gave its “partner recognition award” to Magee-Womens Hospital and the Hillman Cancer Center for their commitment to reducing the impact of their operations on the environment and the local community. Magee-Womens also received the organization’s Making Medicine Mercury Free Award, a citation for hospitals that meet the challenge of nearly eliminating mercury from their facilities.