Health professionals have founded a committee on sustainable development in the health sector (C2DS) to find a solution to hospital waste or to the use of some products. Two private hospitals are opening the way to a change in practices in that sector.
Context
Objectives
- Reducing the harmful impacts of the products on health
- Sorting out and limiting waste.
APPROACH
Delay private hospital got Iso 14001 environmental certification in 2007, after Champeau private hospital got it in 2001, and with the support of the C2DS committee (200 members). This committee makes a list of best practices and analysis softwares for sustainable development available to health centres. Some actions have been implemented in Delay private hospital :
- Taps are equipped with water savers,
- The 60 000 dialysis lines that are used every year do not contain phthalates any more (these are harmful products that have been prohibited in the manufacture of playthings),
- The pockets of tincture extracts are delivered by 6 and not by 2 any more,
- The light bulbs have the NF-environment eco-label, and the suppliers and providers must sign an environmental code.
- People can choose between organic menus,
- The future buildings will be HEQ-certified.
The water from the dialysis (15m3 a day) is too mineralized to be drunk and is thus re-used for watering and steam cleaning. It is more efficient and healthier than chemical detergents. The private hospital has implemented 12 waste separation channels and this does not increase the workload of the employees.
CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE
- These 2 private hospitals have made a name for themselves as for medical care and safety
- There are positive relations with local communities.
Benefits
- There is a reduction in the use of harmful products and in waste : 3,64 tons of glass, 1 ton of disposable feeding bottles, 60 kg of neon lights ; 30 kg of batteries ; 500 kg of recycled paper every year
- Water and energy savings
- They set an exemple for other health centres and for an improvement to regulation.
- Country
- France