1 / 37

Sustainable Healthcare

Sustainable Healthcare. Wendi Shafir US EPA Region 9 June 2010. Outline. Outline. Why Healthcare? Environmental Concerns Opportunities and Priorities Resources. Sustainability – definition. Sustainability – what does it mean?.

afric
Download Presentation

Sustainable Healthcare

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Sustainable Healthcare Wendi Shafir US EPA Region 9 June 2010

  2. Outline Outline • Why Healthcare? • Environmental Concerns • Opportunities and Priorities • Resources Sustainability – definition

  3. Sustainability – what does it mean? “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”

  4. Sustainability – 3 Aspects Economic Equity Environmental

  5. Why Healthcare ? • Large environmental footprint • Many opportunities – waste, toxics, energy, water • Purpose – First do no harm - Provide healing environment

  6. Health Care Footprint • 1 of every 7 dollars spent • Energy ~ $6.5 billion each year • Medical Incinerators • 3rd largest source of dioxin • 4th source of mercury emissions • 50X more mercury in medical waste • Water – often largest users in community • Over 2 million pounds of waste per year

  7. Reduces costs Improves efficiency Reduces environmental impacts Improves human health Reduces liabilities Benefits

  8. Environmental Concerns • Air Pollution • Trash • Water Pollution • Water Shortage • Energy Usage • Toxic Chemicals

  9. Waste in Healthcare

  10. Toxics in Healthcare ?

  11. Toxics in Healthcare • Sterilants and Disinfectants • Mercury and other PBTs • Pesticides • Cleaning Chemicals • Laboratory Chemicals • Radiologicals • Pthalates

  12. PVC, DEHP, Pthalates • In many medical products for flexibility, ex. IV bag, tubing • DEHP: Developmental toxicant • Dioxins– from production and incineration • DEHP leaches from the PVC • FDA recommends use of alternatives to DEHP when exposures may be excessive (esp. neonates)

  13. Mercury in Healthcare • Medical Devices • Thermometers • Sphygmomanometers • Dental Amalgam • Cantor, Miller Abbot, Dennis tubes • Building Products • Thermostats • Many switches • Boiler Guage controls • Fluorescent Bulbs

  14. Mercury • Toxic effects- Long term exposure can permanently damage brain, kidneys and developing fetus • Health care industry a major consumer • Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic = PBT

  15. Mercury Toxicity – Fish Connection

  16. Pharmaceuticals • Emerging Issue • Water Quality Impacts – • Human - Reuse • Aquatic species • Many pharmaceuticals in lakes & rivers

  17. Now we know why - What can we do ?

  18. Waste Reduction Improved Pharmaceuticals Management Mercury / Toxics Reduction Recycling Energy / Water Efficiency Healthy Food Opportunities

  19. Waste Reduction Strategies • Waste Characterization • Waste Segregation Best Practices • Minimization of Infectious/Biohazard Waste • Paper Management • Recycling • EPP for Waste Minimization

  20. Pharmaceuticals • Pharmaceutical Waste Management & Minimization Plan • EPA, State guidance • Swedish model – change prescribing patterns

  21. Mercury and Toxics Reduction • Mercury: Inventory and eliminate • Less toxic cleaning products • Less toxic sterilants + disinfectants • Distill and reuse lab solvents & fixatives

  22. Mercury Eliminationa Primary Goal • 100s of hospitals virtually eliminated it • Many state/local programs • Dental opportunities as well • Eliminate through: • Substitution • Elimination • Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

  23. Mercury Reduction – How to • Mercury Reduction 10-step guide • http://cms.h2e-online.org/ee/hazmat/hazmatconcern/mercury/10step/ • Reducing Mercury Use in Health CarePlan • http://www.sustainablehospitals.org/HTMLSrc/IP_Mercury.html • Mercury Assessment Tool • http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/medicalwaste/Pages/HospitalPollutionPrevention.aspx

  24. Alternatives to DEHP • There now are effective alternatives • PVC-free/ Non-PVC • DEHP-free / Non-DEHP • Assessment tools and alternatives lists • http://www.hcwh.org/us_canada/issues/toxins/pvc_phthalates/ • http://www.sustainablehospitals.org/cgi-bin/DB_Index.cgi?px=M

  25. Why? Sustainable Food in Healthcare • Support patient, staff and visitor health • Educate patients, community • Provide healthier food (Farmer’s Markets) to community • Combat Antibiotic Resistance • Reduce food production’s environmental footprint • Energy, water, pesticides, soil conservation, fishery depletion

  26. Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge • From Healthcare Without Harm (www.noharm.org) • Sample Language provided • Over 250 hospitals have signed up • Healthcare without Harm – provides resources • American Medical Association (AMA) approved a policy resolution in support of sustainable food health care systems

  27. HOW? Food Policies • Locally sourced foods • Hormone/antibiotic free animal products,rBGH Free Dairy • Sustainably harvested foods, fair trade • Organic and other certified food

  28. What else can you do? • Healthier vending machines • Serve meals lower on the food chain - less meat, vegetarian options • Healthy Cooking Classes and demonstrations • Sustainable Food service – energy, water, waste • Farmers Markets • Onsite Gardens

  29. Paper Reduction • Copy & print double-sided • Go Paperless - electronic records • Fewer Copies • Recycle office paper separately • Recycling can still be HIPPA compliant!

  30. More Recycling ! Reduce costs, generate revenue Cardboard, paper, glass, plastic Sterile Blue Wrap – new pilot in N. CA

  31. Electronics • FEC, EPEAT, Energy Star • Both purchasing and disposal important • UNIVERSAL Waste • Reduced disposal costs • Reduced energy costs

  32. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing or EPP • Selecting products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment • All Areas – medical, surgical, office supplies, maintenance, etc. • Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) provide leverage, efficiency for EPP

  33. Other Opportunities • Water Conservation • Energy Conservation • Renewable Energy • Green Building • Dental

  34. Purchasing Housekeeping Nursing Food Service Facilities Administrative Pharmacy A Role for Everyone

  35. What Can You Do at Your Hospital? • Listen and learn today • Identify some things to work on • Make a commitment to just one! • Get support – co-workers, mgmt. • Imagine, if we all do this…

  36. From sustainablematerials2020.com

  37. The End Wendi Shafir USEPA Region 9 Shafir.wendi@epa.gov 415-972-3422

More Related