Clean Texas Progam
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
(UTHSC-H) is a Bronze Level member of the
Clean Texas Program. This program is the state's voluntary
environmental leadership program administered by the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) with the goal
of producing real environmental improvements, such as:
• Reducing air emissions,
• Improving water quality,
• Preventing pollution, and
• Improving environmental compliance.
Clean Texas is for facilities with a solid environmental
record and a firm commitment to continuous environmental improvement.
In exchange for this commitment, facilities accepted into
the program earn valuable benefits including:
• Recognition
• Networking
• Technical and Program Assistance
• Regulatory Benefits
UTHSC-H has pledged to decrease annual air emissions of
NOx and VOC’s by installing natural gas fired emergency
generators in new construction projects and by systematically
replacing existing diesel fired units. The reduction in air
pollutants is measured as pollution avoidance, which is calculated
by comparing emissions from diesel to natural gas. Over the
next three years, we anticipate decreasing our potential to
emit for NOx by almost 8,000 pounds, and nearly 900 pounds
of VOC’s.
Another environmental program is the exploration of digital
dental x-ray processing and the use of silver recycling units
for photographic processes requiring the use of developer
and fixer solutions. Our goal with in the next three years
is to eliminate hazardous wastes generated by photographic
and x-ray processes.
Other innovative environmental programs include: Completion
of a new School of Nursing Building which is registered LEED
NC 2.0 and eligible for gold level LEED certification, utilization
of solar power, grey water and rain water collection systems
for irrigation and non-potable water applications, installation
of waterless urinals, consolidation of cardboard and paper
recycling programs, student administered recycling programs
for paper, plastic, and aluminum, and mercury reduction through
mercury-free replacement of equipment such as thermometers.
While EH&S serves as the institutional catalyst for environmental
awareness and protection, our staff, students, and faculty
will translate this awareness into a culture that considers
environmental impacts and offers solutions. Environmental
protection programs are part of a systematic implementation
of our environmental management system, and as the UTHSC-H
continues to grow continued innovative solutions will be
necessary to control environmental releases in the forms
of air, water and waste.
|
