Novation is committed to helping hospitals create an environment free from hazards posed by chemicals that are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Chemicals management is a considerable undertaking for the health care industry, largely because of the volume of hazardous and potentially harmful chemicals used daily as part of standard hospital procedures. These include cleaners, disinfectants, and latex and phthalates in medical devices, among many others. Novation’s approach… …
Environmental activism emerged within Kaiser Permanente four decades ago when the organization invited Rachel Carson to deliver the keynote address to a large symposium of physicians and scientists. Today the 8.5 million member organization with 145,000 employees and $31B in annual revenues has become a national environmental leader in the health care sector. Driving Kaiser Permanente to invest in the environment is the recognition that the health of its members is affected by the health of the… …
In 2004 the first nationwide tests for brominated flame retardants in dust swiped from computers in public buildings in 8 US states, revealed that computers are likely to be a significant source of deca-BDE and other brominated flame retardant chemical exposure in the dust of homes, offices, schools, and businesses. There is evidence that these chemicals could be hazardous to human health and even the World Health Organization recommends their substitution. …