WATERLOO - Three years ago Cedar Falls native Randy Vorland of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, regional environmental services director in Iowa, went to work to improve the waste management practices at Covenant Medical Center, Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar Falls and Mercy Hospital in Oelwein.

Vorland, along with several others from Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare's System - which includes hospitals in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin - will receive a Champion for Change award in Minneapolis Monday.

It is the first time a health system in Iowa will receive this award from Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E), a national organization dedicated to improving the environmental performance of the health care sector.

The award honors the work of the organization's local environmental stewardship leaders to improve environmental performance and promote the practice of environmentally responsible health care throughout the industry.

"Part of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare's mission integration is to be environmental friendly," said Vorland. "Today, I'm happy to say we are doing one of the best jobs in the state of Iowa to make sure we are recycling more and reducing the overall medical waste coming out."

He said Covenant Medical Center and Sartori Memorial Hospital alone recycled 82 percent of its total solid and hazardous waste in 2006, which is up significantly from the previous year. Wheaton is working with the University of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for additional improvements.