US - New tools target health care waste Aiming to reduce the amount and toxicity of waste that comes from caring for patients, four national agencies launched a new phase in a landmark collaborative effort called Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). ENN reports that the groups, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, and Health Care Without Harm, launched a joint Web site on H2E and unveiled two new programmes designed to encourage hospital participation. This is to be found at: http://www.h2e-online.org The Web site provides tools for hospitals seeking to improve environmental performance, including a comprehensive list of mercury reduction resources and a step-by-step guide to minimising waste. A new H2E listserv provides a forum for health care professionals to discuss technical information and practical strategies for pollution prevention. H2E also unveiled two new programmes: The Partners for Change programme gives hospitals national recognition for improving environmental performance The Champions for Change programme recognises organisations that promote H2E within the health care field H2E aims to enhance efforts within the health care field to minimize the production of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) pollutants and to reduce the volume of waste generated. H2E is committed to: Virtually eliminating mercury-containing waste from hospitals' waste streams by 2005 Reducing the overall volume of waste (both regulated and non-regulated waste) by 33 per cent by 2005 and by 50 per cent by 2010 Identifying hazardous substances for pollution prevention and waste reduction opportunities, including hazardous chemicals and persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic pollutants