The first "Green Innovation Award" was awarded today by a joint initiative of European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association (EDTNA/ERCA) and Fresenius Medical Care at the 42nd EDTNA/ERCA International Conference in Malmö, Sweden. This award pays tribute to innovative ideas, best practices, and procedures that contribute to the promotion and development of environmental protection in hemodialysis treatment.

First prize went to a project from Saudi Arabia. In this pilot project, launched in 2011, overall water consumption was reduced by more than 50% mainly through the use of two reverse osmosis units for waste water. The second-place winner is a Spanish project that achieved significant savings in dialysate and water use by adjusting the dialysate flow to the blood flow rate. This use of technology improved treatment quality and optimized costs, while reducing the burden on the environment.

Eligible for participation were innovative green projects that provide transferrable, measurable and sustainable environmental benefits. An impartial jury, consisting of four experts on environmental matters related to dialysis, nominated the two winning projects, which were honored during a festive award ceremony at the EDTNA/ERCA conference.

Guido Giordana, Director of Business Operation Management NephroCare at Fresenius Medical Care, presented the award. "I feel personally honored to present the very first environmental award in renal care," he said. "Handing over this award, a personal wish comes true. I am happy to find the environmental impact of dialysis is gaining more and more attention, including at the point of care."

Jitka Pancirova, EDTNA/ERCA Executive Director, added: "It is of great importance to raise awareness for environmental protection within dialysis. With this we take the responsibility for our environment inherited through life-saving, resource-demanding dialysis treatment. Considering the increasing worldwide prevalence of End Stage Renal Disease, environmental protection is increasingly gaining importance and urgency in hemodialysis."

With the presentation of the "Green Innovation Award," both EDTNA/ERCA and Fresenius Medical Care are continuing their dedicated cooperation on environmental protection in dialysis, which started in 2009 with the "Go Green in Dialysis" initiative. This joint effort has already developed and published the "Environmental Guidelines for Dialysis," which help guide renal professionals to perform environmentally friendly treatments.

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