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Every day, hospitals purchase thousands of different products requested by dozens of different departments. Often unknowingly, hospitals may purchase items that are toxic.
Some products may affect patient and worker health. Others have serious environmental impacts. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is a system that identifies and avoids these problems.
From eliminating unnecessary packaging, to seeking substitutes for mercury- and PVC-containing products and buying organic locally grown food, purchasing decisions can have a major impact in providing health care without harm.
HCWH works with hospitals and health systems to reduce environmental impact through purchasing decisions, implementation of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing policies, and setting purchasing goals.
In Europe, purchasing policies are usually developed on a national basis. Purchasing decisions are made either with assistance from centralised national agency such as the UK Purchasing and Supplies Agency (PASA) or done by individual hospitals or groups of hospitals administered by a regional authority (County Councils in Sweden).
The European Union also promotes Green Public Procurement and health care facilities can choose products with eco-labels that have been evaluated by independent authorities for their environmental performance.
HCWH's goal is to promote EPP guidelines and resources in individual countries as well as at the European level.
Environmentally preferable products are generally:
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Less toxic.
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Minimally polluting.
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More energy efficient.
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Safer and healthier for patients, workers, and the environment.
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With higher recycled content.
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With less packaging.
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Fragrance-free.
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