Health Care Without Harm 2002 Project Highlights

Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of over 300 organizations in 27 countries dedicated to eliminating environmental pollution from health care. Members include more than 80 hospitals, the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, the Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and others.

Heath Care Without Harm's Boston regional office has been active and effective in helping to prevent pollution and reduce toxic threats at health care facilities.

Highlights of the last year include:

• Participated in three conferences specific to woman and infant health. These included the annual NICU conference at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the annual Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses, and Partners in Perinatal Health.

• Provided Educational outreach at US EPA Mercury Conference at Hynes Convention Center.
• Released the report, media and research assistance on dental mercury amalgam called, ‘Dentist the Menace.’ This report received media attention from the Boston Globe and WBUR.
• Collected 5000+ mercury thermometers in a MA statewide exchange, and in the city of Boston. Since the end of the thermometer round up, the BPHC has asked to continue working with HCWH in approaching the medical community to phase out mercury containing sphygmomanometers.
• Assisted in drafting language and aided with passage of Massachusetts House Bill to ban the sale and distribution of mercury thermometers statewide.
• Collaborated with the Northeast Waste Management Official’s Association (NEWMOA) on mercury reduction, model legislative initiative and conferences.
• Participated in NH Hospital Association conference/workshop on dioxin strategy. This workshop was designed to show the relationships between health, the environment and the products used in health care.
• Presented mercury reduction in healthcare and waste minimization at the 9th Annual Forum on Hazardous Products & Difficult to Manage Wastes Conference for the Mass Dept. of Environmental Protection.
• Helped organize Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s annual ‘Healthy Work / Healthy Home’ day, including a mercury thermometer exchange for employees.
• Gave a presentation on ‘Dioxin and Medicine’s Responsibility to First Do No Harm’ at the Weekend of Hope in Stowe, VT.
• Organized a hospital Pollution Prevention (P2) training in Philadelphia, PA that included a walk through waste audit at Jefferson Medical Center.
• Assisted the New England Aquarium’s Mercury Awareness Day.
• Proved instrumental in moving agenda forward with the New England Zero Mercury Campaign.
• Acted as a board member for the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow (AHT).

• Collaborated with the Center for Science and the Public Interest in approaching the Funding Advisory Committee and Harvard School of Public Health regarding the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis’ relationship with the Nurses Leadership Council and Chlorine Chemistry Council regarding conflict of interest.

• Participated in two of the Nurses Leadership Conferences put on by the Nightingale Institute for Health and the Environment.
• Participated as a member of the Rhode Island Mercury Advisory Committee.
• Organized five hospitals to urge the legislature to keep the ‘Hospital Disclosure’ piece in Mercury Education House Bill 4717, requiring a certificate of analysis of any products that contain more than one part per billion of mercury.
• Presented on mercury and PVC at Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and BU School of Medicine’s In Harm’s Way conference.
• Met with Maine Hospital Association and other Maine stakeholders in assisting on mercury reduction and PVC phase out. Consulted with Maine stakeholders on regional autoclave purchase for state of Maine.
• Assisted with green campus initiatives at Harvard Medical School.

For more information about the Health Care Without Harm Boston Project, contact Bill Ravanesi MA MPH at (617) 524-2366 or ravanesi@attbi.com, or the national office at the Health Care Without Harm web site.