LAUSR

P E R IO P B R IE F IN G H ealth care organizations generate more than 5 million tons of waste each year; the OR is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of this waste. The prevalence of chronic diseases linked to exposure to such toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants is growing. The AORN Position Statement on Environmental Responsibility indicates that because nurses have an ethical and professional responsibility to advocate for the health of their patients, and because human health is dependent on the environment, nurses by extension should work to actively protect the environment by promoting and participating in initiatives that mitigate environmental effects.