Electronic Waste in Hospitals:
Pathways to Sustainability
Presented by:
Oregon Center for Environmental Health
Health Care Without Harm
November 15, 2007 in Portland, OR
Goal: Participants learned the importance of environmental considerations in e-waste procurement and disposal and were introduced to new environmentally preferred purchasing tools available to hospitals, health systems, and other institutions.
Issue: Improper disposal of electronic equipment poses a significant threat to public health and the environment. When electronic products are incinerated or landfilled, they release heavy metals and other hazardous substances that contaminate groundwater and pollute the air. Processing electronic waste in prisons and the export of hazardous e-waste to developing countries, which are less equipped to handle the hazardous materials, also poses a significant risk to public health and the environment.
Presentations as PDFs
Pathways to Sustainability: Introduction, Emma Sirois, OCEH
The Ethics of E-Waste Recycling, Oso Martin, Founder & Board Member, Free Geek Community Technology Center President, Bear eCycling, LLC
Greening Electronics Procurement with EPEAT, Jeff Omelchuck, Green Electronics Council
Managing Electronics in Healthcare: Additional Purchasing Criteria, Emma Sirois, OCEH
Data Purging, Tom Badrick, Sustainability Manager, Legacy Health Systems
Upgrading IT Equipment, Denise Ingram, Manager, Purchasing Receiving & Inventory - Information Technology Group, OHSU
