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Top Story
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Public Procurement reform will lead to more efficient, simple and flexible procedures
Last week, the Lithuanian Presidency secured support of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER I) for the final compromise text of the Public Procurement reform package, negotiated by the Council and the European Parliament. The Package consists of three legislative proposals - Directive on public procurement (Classical directive), Directive on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors (Utilities Directive) and Directive on award of concession contracts (Concessions Directive). (more). |
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Policy Updates
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Lithuanian EU Council Presidency announces priorities in the health sector
Lithuanian Minister of Health Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, has stated that among his health priorities is to further focus on sustainable heath systems, the continuity of the Ireland Presidency's efforts to reach a general approach on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use and mediating the discussions on the medical device regulation and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. (more). |
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REACH debate at EU level losing focus on public health and the environment
A technical workshop held this month on the REACH revision addressed dossier quality and specific problems for SMEs and downstream users. REACH was adopted with the aim of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment. Five years after entry into force is still too early to quantify these benefits but the registration and authorisation process could be on a much better track. In June's workshop, the debate was mostly concentrated on the competitive disadvantages and costs for SMEs and poorly addressed the much needed solutions to address dossier quality and industry liability. The quality of many of the dossiers received by the European Chemicals Agency is not sufficient and more than 60% of the dossiers have been found to be non-compliant. Nevertheless, this has not resulted in any substances being excluded from the market and without any consequences the industry is not really concerned with complying with REACH. This puts at risk the positive benefits that can arise from REACH. (more). |
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EP Environment Committee vote on EIA Directive ‘a breath of fresh air’
The European Parliament’s Environment Committee has today voted to strengthen proposed changes to the EU Directive on Environmental Impact Assessments. Environmental NGOs welcomed the outcome of this vote which would broaden the scope of the directive, close some of the loopholes that allowed developers to avoid an EIA, foresee the monitoring of the projects during all the project phases including post-closure phases, require the assessment of relevant alternative projects and include provisions for better information and a meaningful participation of the public.(more). |
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Chemicals
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Study says industry undermines EU chemicals safety
With inadequate reporting of information, corporations are undermining European chemical safety and jeopardising the fundamental principle of the EU's chemicals law REACH “no data, no market”, according to a report by the environmental law group ClientEarth. The report, REACH registration and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, is based on information made available by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) about five endocrine disruptors. (more). |
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Documentary: Unacceptable Levels
In “Unacceptable Levels”, debut filmmaker Ed Brown explores the issue of synthetic chemicals that end up in people’s bodies unbidden. The documentary has the potential to raise public consciousness—and incite outcry—about unintentional chemical exposures, just as 2010’s “Gasland” did against hydraulic fracturing techniques to extract natural gas. (more). |
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Medical Devices
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Petition for Safer Chemicals in Medical Devices
The HCWH Europe petition for Safer Chemicals in Medical Devices is still live and ready for you to sign. If you want a toxic-free European healthcare system, join HCWH Europe and demand EU decision makers to phase out the use of hazardous chemicals in medical equipment, whenever safer alternatives are available. (more). |
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Member Updates
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Friends of the Earth Germany publishes study and iPhone-App.
Nearly a third of cosmetic products in Germany, Austria and Switzerland contain endocrine disrupting substances. This is the conclusion of a study published today by Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), the German section of Friends of the Earth. For the study, BUND searched the ingredient lists of more than 60.000 products for hormone mimicking chemicals. (more). |
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EcoQUIP
In a time of rapid change and escalating challenges, the healthcare sector needs new solutions to deliver what is needed in a cost effective and timely way. This newsletter is the first of a series that will keep you up to date with how EcoQUIP, a project in which HCWH Europe is a partner, will support and promote effective investment in healthcare facilities and services. EcoQUIP’s mission is to demonstrate how healthcare managers can deliver efficiency, quality and sustainability through the use of innovation procurement. (more). |
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Open Calls
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Study to support the evaluation of the use of phosphates in Consumer Automatic Dishwasher Detergents (CADD)
The Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry has opened a tender for a study on whether the current restriction on the use of phosphates and other phosphorus compounds used in consumer automatic dishwasher detergents needs to be revised. Deadline: 30 August 2013, the duration of the contract is 9 months and a total budget of 100,000 euros (excl. VAT) is foreseen. (more). |
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Study to assess the impact of possible legislation to increase transparency on nanomaterials on the market
The Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry has recently launched a call for tenders with an objective to have assistance in the preparation of an Impact Assessment to identify and to develop the most adequate means to increase the transparency and to ensure the regulatory oversight for nanomaterials on the market ('nano-registry'). Deadline for applications is 19 August 2013. The duration of the contract is 15 months and the total budget of 150,000 EUR (excl. VAT) is foreseen. You will find more details in the message and via the links below. (more). |
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| Events |
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Oxford, United Kingdom: CleanMed Europe 2013
Date: 17-19 September 2013
CleanMed Europe is the only European conference on sustainability within the healthcare sector, addressing the environmental impact of the health care sector on a local, regional, and global level.
Key topics: Pathways to sustainable healthcare through greening hospitals and clinics, low-carbon technologies, leaner systems and preventative measures. Authorities.
Who should attend?: Health and social care professionals and managers, people from healthcare infrastructure (estates and facilities, finance, IT, energy, procurement and waste), patient leaders, industry leaders, researchers and experts in sustainability (more). |
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Publications
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Guidelines presented for adapting infectious disease policy to climate change in Europe
Climate change may increase the risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as salmonella or tick-borne encephalitis. A new study has outlined five main steps in assessing policies to ensure that they can respond effectively to this challenge and highlights the importance of involving stakeholders at every stage of policy assessment. (more). |
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Pharmaceuticals in Tap Water: Human Health Risk Assessment and Proposed Monitoring Framework in China
Pharmaceuticals are known to contaminate tap water worldwide, but the relevant human health risks have not been assessed in China. This study monitored 32 pharmaceuticals in Chinese tap water and evaluated the life-long human health risks of exposure in order to provide information for future prioritization and risk management. The conclusion is that Chinese tap water is an additional route of human exposure to pharmaceuticals, particularly for dimetridazole, although the risk to human health is low based on current toxicity data. Pharmaceutical detection and application of the proposed monitoring framework can be used for water source protection and risk management in China and elsewhere.(more). |
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Safe management of wastes from health-care activities
The World Health Organization (WHO), together with WHO’s European Centre for Environment and Health in Nancy, France, set up an international working group to produce a practical guide, addressing particularly the problems of health-care waste management in developing countries. This handbook, the result of their efforts, is intended to be comprehensive, yet concise, “user-friendly” and oriented towards practical management of health-care waste in local facilities. It provides guidelines for the responsible national and local administrators, and is the first publication to offer globally relevant advice on the management of health-care waste. (more). |
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