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Toxics Reduction Strategy for Health Care: Green Cleaning

Toxics Reduction Strategy for Health Care: Green Cleaning. Brendan Wylie-Toal Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. Special Thanks. The study was made possible by the generous support from: The Ontario Trillium Foundation

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Toxics Reduction Strategy for Health Care: Green Cleaning

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  1. Toxics Reduction Strategy for Health Care: Green Cleaning Brendan Wylie-Toal Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care

  2. Special Thanks The study was made possible by the generous support from: • The Ontario Trillium Foundation • through partnership with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment • YMCA Youth Eco Internship Program • through partnership with My Sustainable Canada

  3. Outline • The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care • How can green cleaning practices contribute to greening health care? • Project Results • Next Steps

  4. The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care • The Canadian Coalition For Green Health Care (CCGHC) is Canada’s premier green health care resource. • Mission: We provide an active vehicle for enabling positive ecological change within the Canadian health care landscape • Part of this effort has included toxic use reduction initiatives in hospitals.

  5. Why Green Cleaning • One area where hospitals can reduce their environmental footprint is through their cleaning practices. BUT • Hospitals must be pathogen free and aesthetically pleasing. To achieve this, hospitals have strict cleaning policies and procedures. • This often results in an abundant use of harsh chemicals. • As a result, hospital cleaning practices have been associated with decreased health.

  6. Green Cleaning in Health Care • Adopting green cleaning practices is one way for hospitals to reduce their use of toxic chemicals and reduce the associated health risks. • This can be done through the use of alternative (green) cleaners, and product substitution. • The challenge is to identify this as a priority for the health care community.

  7. Project Details In response to the issue, the Coalition developed a survey to: • Obtain a better understanding of what types of green products are currently being used in hospitals. • Determine if there is any testing of green products to establish their efficacy. • Identify opportunities and challenges in advancing green initiatives.

  8. Survey Process • The survey was developed by the CCGHC in conjunction with the University Health Network. • 80 facilities were contacted. • The survey was directed to Environmental Services and/or Facility Managers. • Surveyscollected, organized, and analyzed using Survey Monkey.

  9. Results • The response rate for the survey was average. • Only 24% facilities replied. • 84% respondents confirmed adherence to some form of toxic reduction initiative.

  10. Product Features Three main product features are used when trying to identify a product as less toxic: • 3rd party certification • 63% • Vendor product information • -58% • MSDS information • 58%

  11. MedBuy • One of Canada’s largest GPOs • Mandatory Criteria in an RFP that vendors must have third party certification from either the EcoLogo or Green Seal programs. • Unisource won the bid, and had to modify their products to meet Ecologo’s standards.

  12. Green Cleaning Trials • 68% have conducted trials to test the efficacy of green cleaners. • Only 15% reported negative comments or not likely to adopt green products. • 31% indicated that alternative products were cost neutral, or cheaper than conventional products. • No one reported higher costs for alternative products.

  13. Product Substitution • Microfiber mops are a popular form of product substitution, used by 74% of the respondents. • Microfiber mops have a strong business case: -US EPA, 2002.

  14. Microfiber Mops Continued… • University of California Davis Medical Center performed trials to test the efficacy of microfiber mops: -US EPA, 2002.

  15. Perceived Barriers to Using Green Cleaners

  16. Incentives to Switch to Alternative Products

  17. Next Steps • Finalize and disseminate material to promote and facilitate the adoption of Green Cleaning Practices, including: • Case studies. • Green Products and Services database. • Safer chemical purchasing policies within health care facilities and its suppliers. • Undertake new projects and pilots to reduce use of toxics in health care.

  18. Thank You! For more information or questions, contact: Brendan Wylie-Toal brendan@greenhealthcare.ca Or visit http://www.greenhealthcare.ca/

  19. References • George L. Delcloset al. (2007). Occupational Risk Factors and Asthma among Health Care Professionals. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 175. 667-675. • United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2002). Using Microfiber Mops in Hospitals: Environmental Best Practices for Health Care Facilities.

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