P2: Health Care Purchase and Inventory

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)

• Minimizes the volume and toxicity of products purchased by a facility, thereby reducing costs.
• Learn more about EPP from H2E's 10-step guide to EPP

Centralize purchasing and dispensing of drugs, supplies (alcohol, cotton swaps, etc.) and hazardous chemicals.

• Bulk purchasing reduces packaging and costs.
• Can easily track products with limited shelf life in order to use up old stock before ordering or using new stock.

Encourage drug and chemical suppliers to become responsible partners in a waste minimization program. Order from suppliers that will:

• Provide quick delivery of small orders
• Reduce packaging
• Accept return of unopened stock
• Offer off-site waste management outlets or cooperatives for hazardous wastes
• Use durable package that can be used repeatedly (plastic totes)

Test in small quantities all new materials that may result in hazardous waste generation before being purchased in bulk

• Reduces quantities of unused materials that do not perform as expected and costs of hazardous waste disposal

Look for ways to reduce the volume of materials entering a facility (see "Material Substitution" section).

• Use reusable or upgradeable products
• Avoid single use and disposable products whenever possible

 

continue to Health Care Material and Waste Storage

Other Health Care sections:

 

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