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
Managing Your Medwaste for a Healthier Bottom Line
Access to online video and transcript from Kentucky Pollution Center. Over a dozen clips downloadable for viewing.
http://www.kppc.org/Publications/Videos/healthcare.cfm
General-Waste recycling
Global Links’ surplus suture donation program in developing countries
Global Links is the United States’ only recovery organization with a dedicated suture program and is focused on developing countries, shipping $4 million worth of suture to hospitals in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and the South Pacific.
When a U.S. hospital has surplus suture when suture goes unused for any reason, Global Links will pay to ship that suture to their headquarters in Pittsburgh. The suture must not be due to expire for at least 6 months. Global Links also provides a liability waiver absolving donor hospitals of any responsibility for the condition of their donation. In addition to its Suture Donation Program, Global Links also redirects other types of surgical supplies and medical equipment. The program provides both a humanitarian and environmentally responsible solution for the use of basic medical supplies. For more information contact: Manager, Suture Donation Program at 412-361-3424 , ext. 203 email: suture@globallinks.org
Global links http://www.globallinks.org
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)
A New Prescription: Pollution Prevention Strategies for the Health Care Industry
October 1998 Massachusetts conference proceedings; may be downloaded.
http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/ota/pubs/medp2wrkshp.htm
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.