UVA Health

UVA Health

UVA Health's sustainability goals align with UVA's commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 and fossil fuel free by 2050 and to reduce waste by 70% by 2030. 

The Medical Center also commits to responsible resource stewardship within its One Future Together 2032 strategic plan and its Joint Commission Sustainable Healthcare Certification.

These goals and commitments are being pursued through several programs as well as by numerous health practitioners, staff, faculty and students who are undertaking projects to reduce waste, minimize energy use, and make their workplaces safer and healthier.

A 2022 survey conducted by the UVA Health Sustainability Committee showed enthusiastic interest in sustainability among UVA healthcare workers, with the vast majority wanting more opportunities to engage in reducing waste, saving energy and other sustainability practices. 

 

Read the latest UVA Health Sustainability news!
 

Interested in advancing sustainable healthcare?

Clinicians, Staff, Contractors

We welcome any UVA Health employee or contractor who is interested in sustainability to complete this brief form to choose if you would like to: 

Those that complete the form will also receive information on how to participate in UVA’s Sustainability Passport program, set up a (free!) Practice Greenhealth account to access sustainable healthcare resources, join a peer sustainability listserv, and more. 

Students in the School of Medicine and School of Nursing 

Each year students from the School of Medicine and School of Nursing complete the Planetary Health Report Card to evaluate their school’s planetary health content across five areas. Interested students may join Student Clinicians for Climate Action at UVA. 

Students in the School of Medicine looking to learn more about environmental health can take the Climate and Health Elective, taught by Drs. Homan Wai and Samantha Ahdoot.

For more information on UVA Health's commitment to sustainability, check the UVA Health sustainability webpage. 
 

Practice Greenhealth

In 2022, UVA Health joined Practice Greenhealth, the leading membership and networking organization for sustainable healthcare in the U.S. The Practice Greenhealth network brings hospitals, health systems, and other health care related organizations and companies together to work towards advancing sustainable operations and transforming health care through sharing resources, events, and experiences. 

Earn the Practice Greenhealth’s Sustainability Program Fundamentals Certificate of Completion (approximately four hours of learning.) 

Health System Waste

For guidance on how to properly dispose of regulated waste streams, including RMW, Medication Waste, and PHI, see “Where does all that garbage go?” guidelines. 

For non-highly sensitive materials, such as plastic, metal and glass, recycling containers are provided as needed. UVA Health employees can request bins from Environmental Services, which will work with the occupants, fire officials, and Office for Sustainability to determine the best locations in accordance with fire code and egress guidelines.