TERRE HAUTE — Ozone can be both good and bad. Union Hospital Health Group has invested in the good kind, which has meant cost savings and being a friend of the environment.

The medical group’s effort was recognized Friday as Union Hospital was given the Environmentally-Friendly Business Award during the Briefcase Business Showcase Awards Ceremony.

The event at Ivy Tech Community College was hosted by the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce.

Awhile back, officials from the health group traveled to Canada to visit Ozonator Industries. In February 2007, Union purchased and installed a device called the “Ozonator,” sterilization technology that converts oxygen into ozone to sterilize hospital waste, then converts the unused ozone back into oxygen.

Union was the first facility worldwide to purchase and use the device, said Doug Smith, director of material management for the health group.

“It has a shredder, which shreds the waste and puts it into a landfill bin, which is then taken to a landfill. It results in a 40 percent reduction in landfill trips. We were going six days a week, now we go once every four to five days,” Smith said of landfill visits.

“We are doing this with all of our waste, biomedical and regular trash. We are ensuring that nothing hazardous is going to the landfill,” Smith said.

The ozone device replaces an old hammermill, which shreds materials while using a bleach solution. The end waste is wet, which adds weight and expense for disposal in a landfill. Parts for the hammermill also were becoming difficult to find, Smith said, and the hospital had to pay a biomedical company to dispose of waste.

“We have made about 47 changes to the machine in a year. We knew it would be like that when we got it, to make some little adjustments, but it has worked out very well,” Smith said.

The device is made of stainless steel, with an expected lifespan of more than 20 years. The Ozonator is costly, about $1 million. “We are saving $288,000 a year in hauling and landfill costs. We are pretty sure in five years, it will pay for itself,” Smith said.

The Union group’s award was one of four given during the Briefcase Business Showcase ceremony.

The Terre Haute Bowling Center won the Small Business of the Year Award, which exemplifies the spirit of free enterprise, risk-taking, innovation and strengthening community spirit.

The bowling center was under water during the early-June floods of last year. The center’s owner, Gerald Modesitt, decided to reopen, restoring 40 lanes and approaches. The new lanes are synthetic, instead of wood, which is the surface predominantly used for Professional Bowling Association tournaments.

“It was 96 days of hell, but who’s counting,” THBC general manager Rick Braden joked upon accepting the award. “We rebuilt because the community has been great to us for over 32 years. Come visit us and come to where the good times roll.”

Marion Manufacturing, a West Terre Haute-based maker of precision machine and manufacturing components, won the Fastest-Growing Company Award, which recognizes a business with the largest percentage of growth in gross income over the previous fiscal year.

Tammy Marion, president of the company, said the business had $2.7 million in sales in 2007 and $3.6 million in 2008. “We have had 40 percent growth each year over the past five years,” Marion said.

Baesler’s Market won the Family-Friendly Business Award, which recognizes a commitment to employees by implementation family-friendly practices into everyday business activities.

Bob Baesler, the supermarket owner, said family is important and his wife, Julie, “is the backbone of the family-friendly atmosphere” at the Poplar Street store. Long a family-owned operation, Baesler’s often hires college workers, such as students from Indiana State University, providing them with flexible hours.

The awards were part of a Briefcase Business Expo, with at least 35 business showcasing their products and services. Three free business seminars also were conducted.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.