EPP Issues & Resources

A Pledge for Consorta Hospitals in Support of Reducing Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)

The PLEDGE

As a responsible provider of health care services, our hospital is committed to the health of our patients, our staff, and our community. We are committed to the reduction of PVC and DEHP-containing devices in our hospital and, in particular, our pediatric, infant, and neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Specifically, we are committed to the following measures to make our institution a model of environmental responsibility by phasing out DEHP and PVC containing products. We pledge to:

Conduct a PVC/DEHP audit to identify all uses and sources of DEHP in our NICU, infant, and/or pediatric units.

Commit to eliminate the use of PVC- and DEHP-containing products in our NICU, infant, and/or pediatric units, unless no reasonable alternatives are available as determined by our pediatricians and neonatologists responsible for care in the units. If continued use of PVC/DEHP-containing products is necessary, we will take measures to reduce the amount and duration of patient contact with PVC products where possible and dispose of PVC in a manner that will avoid incineration. We will regularly monitor the availability of safe and effective alternatives.

Communicate the commitment to PVC-/DEHP-free purchasing to the entire hospital system, its staff, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors. We will include language in contracts and requests for proposals that express our commitment to minimize PVC and DEHP use in the NICU, infant, and/or pediatric units and our preference for PVC-/DEHP-free products. Where appropriate, we will identify deadlines for transition to PVC-/DEHP-free products and share those deadlines with vendors, manufacturers, and others.
Collaborate hospital wide to urge support for hospital-wide implementation of PVC and DEHP reduction measures.

Why take the PLEDGE?
DEHP is a plasticizer used to soften and impart flexibility in polyvinyl chloride products (PVC) and has been found to cause reproductive and developmental defects in animal studies. These studies have identified male neonates as especially susceptible to reproductive system damage from DEHP. A recent Harvard University study found neonates receiving intensive therapy with PVC medical devices were exposed to DEHP at much higher levels than the general population (25 times higher on average; up to 50 times higher for the most exposed). The sick infants were exposed to progressively higher exposures of DEHP as their medical treatments intensified. The FDA released a Public Health Notification in July 2002, which advises hospitals to look for alternatives to DEHP-free containing products for certain patient populations.

PVC is a chlorinated plastic that produces dioxin during manufacture and when incinerated. Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and has a variety of other adverse health effects. Dioxin represents a threat to public health at current environmental levels in part because it is persistent and bioaccumulates.

To learn more:

PVC and DEHP-free alternatives chart

Case studies

PVC and DEHP – Guidelines for an Audit