Global: Update On The Global Green And Healthy Hospitals Network
HCWH – The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda is a comprehensive environmental health framework launched in October 2011. Since then, hospitals, health systems and health organizations representing more than 1800 hospitals from five continents have come together to form a global network and use this framework to reduce their ecological footprint and promote environmental health.  more

China: Ministry Vows to Strengthen Medical Waste Supervision
CriEnglish – China's Ministry of Health urged health departments at all levels to further strengthen supervision on medical waste in accordance with State Council regulations. Deng Haihua, the spokesman said that the ministry will put more weight on national supervision over medical waste and will organize annual inspections on its management in medical institutions especially those below county level.  more

Argentina: BPA in Baby Bottles
SSD – Health authorities in Argentina have banned the manufacture, import and sale of baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA). The move, effective immediately, is in line with the "most demanding" worldwide restrictions on the substance used to make polycarbonate and epoxy resins, said Matias De Nicola, director of Argentina's national food, drug and technology institute Anmat. Manufacturers of baby bottles were given 30 days to substitute BPA-free products. According to De Nicola, many companies already have begun replacing PC with PP.  more

US: FDA Warns Consumers Not To Use Skin Products With Mercury
Fox News – Federal health officials are warning consumers not to use certain off-brand skin creams, antiseptic soaps and lotions because they may contain mercury, according to a report released by the Food and Drug Administration. The products are marketed as skin lighteners and anti-aging treatments that remove age spots, freckles, blemishes and wrinkles.  more

Global: The Health Impacts of Climate Change
BMJ – Tens of thousands of scientists working in the field of climate science worldwide agree that our climate system is changing, and that human activities are the predominant driving force. A consensus has developed that there is a need to limit the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in order to avoid the degree of climate change that has been judged to be dangerous to humanity.  more

Global: New UN Agreement Seeks To Protect Environment From Hazardous Electronic Waste
UN – A new United Nations agreement seeks to diminish the damage caused by electronic waste through the collection and recycling of hazardous materials, as well as by introducing measures to improve the ways in which this equipment is managed. The agreement, which was signed between the International Telecommunication Union and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention intends to strengthen collaboration between information and communications technology and environmental policymakers to address this issue.  more

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