Inspector General Review of 2022 VA Sustainability Plan
November 11, 2024
Since 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs has had a sustainability plan in place. However, a recent review by the Inspector General finds they still have some work to do.
Inspector General Review
The Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Healthcare Inspections, Jennifer Baptiste said: “including carbon pollution-free electricity, a zero-emission vehicle fleet, achieving net zero emissions buildings to reduce waste and pollution and pursue sustainable procurement, and furthermore, to educate their workforce to be climate and sustainability-focused. And lastly, to incorporate environmental justice and accelerate progress through partnerships.”
The Sustainability Plan’s goal is to create a cleaner, safer environment for our future, and the Inspector General planned to make sure the VHA was adhering to that concept.
The Inspector General review contained three objectives:
- VHA’s approach to implementing the 2022 plan
- The sustainability of VHA’s healthcare-specific activities that contribute to greenhouse gases and other emissions
- A foundational priority action to help VHA’s sustainability efforts
Objective 1: Implementing Sustainability Plan
For the first objective, the VA Office of Inspector General looked at the VHA’s waste. VHA tracks their waste, so it was easy to see how many single-use devices were being discarded each day. The I.G. found that VHA has been making improvements with their attempts to reduce reuse and recycling, but there were more actionable steps not being incorporated.
Many devices labeled as single-use by the manufacturer were found to be capable of more than one use if sterilization measures were in place. While reducing waste is a priority, the patients are still VHA’s number one concern. So, while syringes were not on that list of reusable materials, some of the bigger medical equipment could be used multiple times as long as they were cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions and FDA procedures.
Objective 2: Greenhouse Gas and Emissions
The second objective examined was inhalational anesthetics, which cause 5% of a hospital’s typical greenhouse gas emissions. This is no different at VHA facilities, which use two different types of gas: inhalational anesthetic gas fluorine and compressed gas nitric oxide. While these are the most common anesthesia, they are not the only options available, like IV sedation.
The other issue found in practice is the use of ethylene oxide for sterilization. While it does its job well, it also causes major health concerns. The chemical is carcinogenic and can cause major reproductive problems. As a result, VA reported in January 2024 that the use of ethylene oxide in healthcare would not be permitted. Using safer options and reducing VHA hospitals’ environmental footprint has become a priority at Veterans Affairs.
Objective 3: Supporting VHA’s Sustainability Efforts
The final goal was to make a plan to support VHA’s current sustainability efforts. After the inspection, they reached a verdict; although it was clear that VHA had attempted to make a positive environmental impact, they still have a long way to go.
Further evaluations will be conducted after official documentation of the visit and suggestions for improvement have been sent. That document will include increasing attention on how much inhalational anesthetics are used as well as incorporating environmental education with the training of staff members.
If you are a veteran fighting with the VA to get your disability benefits, contact Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC online for free or call our office at (800) 693-4800.