Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E), based in Lebanon, N.H., has added Stephen Ashkin, president of the Ashkin Group, to its honorary Champions program.

H2E represents 2,704 facilities, including 847 hospitals, 1,447 clinics, 101 nursing homes, and 309 other types of facilities. The association helps health-care facilities improve their environmental performance as well as achieve some of H2E's national goals, which include:

  • Eliminating mercury-containing waste from health-care facility waste streams by 2005
  • Reducing the overall volume of waste by one-third by 2005 and by half by 2010
  • Minimizing the use of bioaccumulative chemicals and products, toxic substances, and other hazardous chemicals

"Steve has been a proponent of environmentally friendly cleaning for years, conducting hundreds of training sessions, presentations, and consultations throughout the country and writing prolifically on the subject," says Sarah O'Brien, Champion program coordinator. "We look forward to his contribution in further helping health care facilities 'green' their operations."

"I'm very proud to be added to H2E's Champions program," says Ashkin. "The list includes many premier businesses and organizations working to build a healthier environment."