Despite their role as places that promote health and healing, hospitals and other health care institutions use a surprising number of highly toxic chemicals on their premises, including pesticides, cleaners and disinfectants, and fragrance chemicals. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute to poor overall indoor air quality (IAQ) and are associated with a host of health problems.

In fact, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental risks to public health, potentially causing eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; cancer; and liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage.

Patients are particularly vulnerable to indoor air quality threats, as many have compromised respiratory, neurological, or immunological systems and/or have increased chemical sensitivities. In the U.S., the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO) has also expressed concern over the growing number of respiratory problems among health care workers.

The good news is that health care facilities can manage pests and provide a clean and sanitary environment  without the use of toxic pesticides, cleaning products, disinfectants or fragrance chemicals. There are safer, effective methods of controlling pests and disinfecting that will not harm the health of workers, patients and the public. The use of safer cleaning products and less toxic disinfection methods, and the adoption of integrated pest management and fragrance-free policies improve indoor air quality and promote health.

Check the resources page for useful tools and links about pesticides, cleaners, disinfectants and fragrance chemicals.

Key Resources

Healthy Hospitals Report (pdf)

Pest Management in New York State Hospitals

Cleaning Chemical Use in Hospitals (pdf)

10 Reasons to Eliminate Glutaraldehyde (pdf)

10 Ways to Find Safer and Greener Cleaners (pdf)

Fragranced Products Information Network