About NH3E

In direct response to the ongoing interest expressed by New Hampshire's hospitals regarding issues such as mercury reduction, recycling, waste minimization, environmentally preferable purchasing, and other information geared towards environmental improvement, the Foundation for Healthy Communities announced the formation of the New Hampshire Hospitals for a Healthy Environment network in July 2001.

The objective of the network is to provide hospitals with the opportunity to learn and share information with other hospitals facing similar environmental concerns and challenges. The Foundation, working in collaboration with Health Care Without Harm, an international organization devoted to environmentally responsible health care, and the NH Department of Environmental Services, will strive to provide the education, technical assistance, and practical strategies hospitals can use to reduce both the volume and toxicity of their waste. Recognizing that such reductions are beneficial to the health of our environment, our communities, and ultimately, our bottom lines -- we will also work to advance the goals of the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) national initiative, as outlined below:

§ Eliminate the use of mercury in health care
§ Reduce the total volume of waste by 50% by 2010
§ Minimize chemical waste
§ Reduce persistent bioaccumulative toxins, (PBTs) such as dioxin.

Initially, this work will be accomplished by:

§ An organizational meeting to get to know each other, share ideas and chart a course.
§ A listserv participants can use to ask questions, identify concerns and share information.
§ A series of meetings/workshops to provide training, share best practices and address policy and implementation issues.

We hope that your hospital will be among those to help drive this very exciting environmental and community health initiative -- remember, it won't happen without committed individuals like you!

NH3E Vision Statement and Goals
The New Hampshire Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (NH3E) will work to reduce both the volume and toxicity of hospital waste.

Goals: The New Hampshire Hospitals for a Healthy Environment will work advance the goals of the national Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) to:

§ Eliminate the use of mercury in health care
§ Cut the total volume of waste by 50% by 2010
§ Minimize chemical waste
§ Reduce persistent bioaccumulative toxins, (PBTs) such as dioxin.

The above-noted vision statement and goals were decided by those hospitals in attendance at the first NH3E meeting held on September 13, 2001 at the NHHA conference center in Concord .