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Patrick D. Eagan¹ and Barb Kaiser²

¹Engineering Professional Development, Industrial Engineering, and ²University Health Services, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Abstract

Environmental purchasing represents an innovative approach to mercury control for the health care sector in the United States. The U.S. health care sector creates significant environmental impacts, including the release of toxic substances such as mercury. Our goal in this study was to provide the health care industry with a method of identifying the environmental impacts associated with the products they use. The Health Care Environmental Purchasing Tool (HCEPT) was developed and tested at nine health care facilities in the Great Lakes region of the United States. As a result, more than 1 kg of mercury was removed from four facilities. The complexity of the supply chain inhibits a direct environmental information exchange between health-care decision makers and suppliers. However, a dialogue is starting within the health care supply chain to address environmental issues. The HCEPT has been shown to assist health care facilities with that dialogue by identifying products that have environmental consequences. This promising tool is now available for further experimentation and modification, to facilitate overall environmental improvement, and to provide a systematic method for environmental assessment of health care products. Key words: air pollution, environmental purchasing, green purchasing, health care, hospitals, mercury, pollution, purchasing, United States, waste management. Environ Health Perspect 110:847-851 (2002) . [Online 17 July 2002]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p847-851eagan/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to P. Eagan, 432 N. Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706 USA. Telephone: (608) 263-7429. Fax: (608) 263-3160. E-mail: Eagan@engr.wisc.edu

We acknowledge J. Koning and A. Miner, University of Wisconsin-Madison ; H. Shaner, Nightingale Institute for Health and the Environment ; F. Kurk, Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance ; T. Easthope, Ecology Center ; and M. Boyle and R. Ronda, Illinois Waste Management and Research Center.

The Great Lakes Protection Fund supported this work.

Received 6 November 2001 ; accepted 5 March 2002.