DECATUR — HSHS St. Mary's Hospital received the 2015 Greenhealth Partner for Change Award by Practice Greenhealth, the nation's leading health care community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge.

The award is one of the organization's Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor outstanding environmental achievements in the health care sector. Specific requirements are needed to earn the award. At a minimum, facilities applying for the award must recycle 15 percent of their total waste, have reduced regulated medical waste, be well along the way to mercury elimination and have developed other successful pollution prevention programs in many different areas.

St. Mary's Hospital exceeded the requirements by recycling 30 percent of their total waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 500 pounds and saving 2,300 gallons of water.

"As a Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change Award winner, HSHS St. Mary's Hospital is committed to improving the health of our patients, staff and the Greater Decatur area," said President and CEO Dan Perryman. "We are proud of the work of the hospital's Green Team and all of our colleagues as we participate in sustainability efforts to lesson our impact on the environment."

The awards were presented in May in Portland, Ore., at the CleanMed Conference and Exhibition, the premier national environmental conference for leaders in health care sustainability.