Northwest Health Care Linen Gets ‘Green’ Honor

Northwest Health Care Linen (NWHCL), Bellingham, WA, recently received the highest rating – five stars – from EnviroStars, a Seattle-area program that provides small and midsize businesses with third-party certifications of environmental sustainability.

Northwest Health Care Linen is one of 850 area businesses to participate in the EnviroStars program, and it’s the only facility in the program that’s focused exclusively on processing healthcare linens. EnviroStars is a nationally recognized program dedicated to encouraging businesses across seven counties to enhance their environmental performance. 

This top-level certification recognizes that NWHCL has gone above and beyond the basic commitment to environmental stewardship. “We are proud of the fact that our record of environmental awareness and real reductions in our waste stream are being recognized,” said CEO, James Hall. “As advocates for reusable textiles instead of disposable single use products, we are a fundamentally green business. In addition, we work hard to take that to the next level through conservation, reclamation and recycling.”

Northwest Health Care Linen also iscertified in both TRSA's Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Healthcareprograms.The company uses state-of-the-art technology to save energy by reclaiming heat from wastewater, as well as recycling much of the water it uses during this process. In addition, the company recycles all plastic soiled linen bags and cart covers, thereby reducing its solid waste stream by more than 85%.