• Sample Policies
• Mercury Elimination
• PVC/DEHP Reduction
• Responsible Electronics Purchasing
• Safer Chemicals: Health Care Action Kit
• Greener Cleaners
• Recycled/Reusable Products
• Healthy Food
• Energy Efficiency

Sample Policies

• Sample Mercury-Free Purchasing Policy (pdf)
• Sample Policy on Purchasing Recycled Content or Recyclable Products (pdf)
• Sample Policy for Purchasing Reusable Products (pdf)
• Sample Policy for Purchasing Food with Reduced Antibiotics (pdf)
• Value Analysis Checklist (pdf)
  Helps Product Evaluation committees consider the environmental and disposal implications of products.
• Value Analysis Form (pdf)

Mercury Elimination

• Mercury Assessment Worksheet (xls)
  California Office of P2 and Technology Development and the California Department of Health Services' Hospital Pollution Prevention Program
• Hospital for a Healthy Environment (H2E) publications:
  Mercury Checklist, see Sections 5A and 5B (pdf)
  Making Medicine Mercury-Free (pdf)
• National Institutes of Health Mad as a Hatter Campaign
  Lists products, processes and equipment containing mercury as well as other great tools on mercury elimination
• List of Mercury-Containing Items in Hospitals (pdf)
  
• INFORM's Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project
  More tips and purchasing specifications on alternatives to mercury-containing products
• Sustainable Hospitals Project
  list of alternatives to mercury-containing products

PVC/DEHP Reduction

• The Weight of the Evidence on DEHP: Exposures Are a Cause for Concern, Especially During Medical Care (pdf)
  
• Reducing PVC Use in Hospitals (pdf)
  
• List of Alternatives to PVC and DEHP Medical Devices (pdf)
  
• PVC/DEHP Audit Tool (pdf)
  Learn what products in your facility contain PVC/DEHP and do a PVC/DEHP Audit.
• Sustainable Hospitals Project list of products that do not contain PVC or DEHP
• List of Health Care Leaders (pdf) that are Reducing Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). 
• For more information on the problems associated with medical devices made from PVC and DEHP, see the PVC/DEHP page of this web site.
• Sustainable Hospitals Project list of alternative products

Responsible Electronics Purchasing

• Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
  Procurement tool provided by the U.S. E.P.A. to help institutional purchasers evaluate, compare, and select electronic equipment based on their environmental attributes

Safer Chemicals: Health Care Action Kit

The Guide to Choosing Safer Products and Chemicals was developed by Health Care Without Harm to help health care institutions transition to safer chemicals and materials and to understand the broader public policy context in which the institutional work takes place.

Download the entire Guide to Choosing Safer Products and Chemicals: Implementing Chemicals Policy in Health Care (pdf). For a brief overview, download the Getting Started Guide (pdf).

Table of Contents 

Section A: Introductory Documents

• Rationale for a Comprehensive Chemicals Policy in Health Care 
• Explanation of a Comprehensive Chemicals Policy in Health Care

Section B: Policies and Plans for Implementation

• Developing a Written Institutional Chemicals Policy
• Developing a Written Plan of Action to Implement an Institutional Chemicals Policy 
• Key Issues for Implementation of a Comprehensive Chemicals Policy Program

Section C: Implementation Strategies

• Supply Chain Implementation Strategy 
• Advocacy Implementation Strategy 
• Occupational Health Implementation Strategy 

Section D: Appendices

• Annotated List of Chemical Lists for Targeted Chemicals Strategy 
• Check-list for Chemicals Policy Implementation 

Greener Cleaners

• Cleaning for Health: Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment
  A one-stop guide to environmentally preferable cleaning products and methods by INFORM, Inc, that have been used effectively in office buildings, schools, hospitals and other facilities in the United States and Canada.
• Cleaning Products Purchasing Decision Wizards
  A web-based tool by the U.S. E.P.A. that allows you to view brand name products available on federal contracts that meet particular environmental or health criteria.
• Green Cleaning P2 Calculator
  This tool quantifies the projected environmental benefits of purchasing and using "green" janitorial services and products. It also enables users to identify which green cleaning measures will have the greatest impact in reducing their use of hazardous chemicals and in preventing pollution.
• Sustainable Hospitals Project list of alternative products

Recycled/Reusable Products

• Recycled-Content Product Database
  California Integrated Waste Management Board
• The Chlorine Free Products Association
  Represents companies that produce paper products that do not use chlorine in the bleaching process
• The Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative
  A non-profit program dedicated increasing the use of recycled paper and products nationwide
• The American Reusable Textile Association
  Promotes the value of and need for reusable textiles
• Association of Medical Device Reprocessors
  Highlights the cost-savings and liability reduction available through third party medical device reprocessing (Note: HCWH does not endorse any specific product or manufacturer)
• Disposables and Their Alternatives
  
• Sample Policy for Purchasing Reusable Products 
  
• Sustainable Hospitals Project list of alternative products

Healthy Food

• Purchasing Guides for Hospitals
• Purchasing Guides for GPOs and Distributors

Energy Efficiency

• Energy Star for Health Care
  Information on how health care facilities can reduce their energy use and save money
• Energy Star Copiers
  List of low energy, double-sided copiers
• Purchasing and Procurement with Energy Star
  Helps facilities examine and evaluate new energy efficient products available on the market