ABSTRACT
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) is the front door to sustainability because it prevents toxic substances from entering healthcare facilities in the first place. A successful environmental sustainability program will not only consider how to dispose of waste responsibly, but will also look upstream to eliminate waste before it is generated. The healthcare industry has the opportunity to act as an agent for change by employing its large purchasing power. Most purchasing decisions are incentivized by the prospect of short-term cost savings. The trouble with this approach is that short-term savings are not always aligned with the organization’s long-term interests in community health. EPP has many layers of complexity, beginning with understanding the impacts of a given product or service along its life cycle. By choosing to bring materials into a facility that are created using less toxins, that do not emit volatile organic compounds, that use less energy and create less waste, hospitals can enhance healing environments and support healthy communities. Across the country and the world, hospitals are partnering with group purchasing organizations (GPO) and manufacturers to eliminate toxic chemicals from healthcare products and facilities. Chapter 9 is a resource for leaders to explore why and how EPP opportunities are a means of achieving quality goals.
