Resources
Database and video
Health Care Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Specification Database
Database of EPP specifications and policies from several institutions in Massachusetts.
http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/ota/support/medspecs.htm
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) -
2008 Video conference offerings
Videos for playback on topics
Pollution reduction resources
Access to resources from Kentucky pollution center.
Sample Policies
Sample Mercury-Free Purchasing Policy
Download: Sample mercury-free policy
Donations – Medical Equipment, Supplies
Each year in the United States, $200 million worth of unused medical supplies are disposed of as costly, contaminated garbage. This waste represents much more than an unnecessary burden to our landfills or a financial loss incurred by our hospitals. When viewed in contrast to the severe shortages of medical and surgical supplies in developing nations, this excess illustrates the need for a nationwide system of material recovery and reuse.
Hospitals seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and take an active role in environmental stewardship have many options today to donate these items instead to organizations that find homes for them in developing or third-world nations.
Download a partial list of those organizations. (.xls)(35kb)
Additional resources
- Practice Greenhealth - Donations and surplus programs
http://cms.h2e-online.org/ - Practice Greenhealth Waste Reduction Guide: Resources for Donation
http://www.h2e-online.org/
Success stories on Green Corner
-
Aurora Health Care’s Asset Recovery program generates dollars and home for used equipment
https://premierinc.com/greencorner/ - St. John’s Riverside donates unused medical supplies, equipment
https://premierinc.com/greencorner/ - Global links partners with hospitals to direct surplus supplies overseas
https://premierinc.com/greencorner/
General-Waste recycling
Sustainable Hospitals Project - University of Massachusetts at Lowell
This sustainable project provides technical support to the healthcare industry for selecting products and work practices that eliminate or reduce occupational and environmental hazards, maintain quality patient care, and contain costs. This includes rapid determination of alternative products by category (such as batteries), by manufacturer, by hazard (such as mercury), or by product name. Additional features include a clearinghouse function, action steps for Environmental Preferable Purchasing, and fact sheets.
http://www.sustainablehospitals.org
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) – Alternatives to PVC and DEHP
Health Care Without Harm (www.hcwh.org) maintains a list of Alternatives to PVC and DEHP Medical Devices (last update August, 2006).
Download PVC-DEHP Medical device list (.pdf) (162 KB)
Battery recycling resources
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a non-profit public service organization collects Lithium Ion (Li-ion), as well as Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), and Small Sealed Lead (Pb) rechargeable batteries used in cell phones, laptops, cordless phones, digital cameras, etc. RBRC has collection locations all over the country in a searchable data base available on their Web site. Click "Find a drop off site near you."
Data base http://www.rbrc.org
Waste reduction activities for hospitals
Fact sheets available from California state government.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/bizwaste/factsheets/hospital.htm
Pharmaceutical waste
Managing Pharmaceutical Waste - What Pharmacists Should Know.
Smith,C. Journal of Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Nov/Dec 2002 outlines
regulatory and environmental concerns for pharmaceutical waste stream
including proposal for a comprehensive waste management plan.
Go to pharmaceutical waste website.