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IntroductionDisinfectants are widely used in healthcare settings - they are essential to prevent cross contamination, outbreak of diseases, and hospital-acquired infections. Yet, the biocidal active substances that are so effective at disinfecting products, surfaces, and skin also pose a variety of potential hazards to human health and the environment. Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe is coordinating the SAICM 2.0 project, which aims to combat these unintended hazards by promoting safer, more environmentally friendly disinfectants without compromising on hygienic and occupational health standards.By expanding procurement and health professionals’ knowledge of the health and environmental impacts of disinfectants, they can align their procurement criteria with healthcare’s healing mission and reduce the risks associated with disinfectants. The SAICM 2.0 project, financed by the German Environmental Agency, builds upon the pioneering work of the Viennese Database for Disinfectants (WIDES) and aims to broaden its application worldwide.Goals of the projectThis...

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe is coordinating the SAICM 2.0 project, which aims to combat these unintended hazards by promoting safer, more environmentally friendly disinfectants.

HCWH Europe’s project helped develop the Mediterranean as a best-practice region for low-carbon healthcare in Europe supported by progressive environment and health policies.

Towards plastic-free healthcare in Europe

With the creation of the Healthcare Market Transformation Network, we aimed to address the need for harmonised sustainable procurement criteria that are tailored to products and services purchased by the healthcare sector.

Doctors for Greener Healthcare is a network that brings together doctors from across Europe to collaborate, share best practice, and advocate for a healthy future by reducing the environmental impact of healthcare.

The healthcare sector must move away from unnecessary single-use products and toxic chemicals and become a torchbearer for sustainable supply chains. That means pushing for reusable, non-toxic solutions that save natural resources, reduce waste, and are better for patients, budgets, and the planet.

Operation Zero is a groundbreaking project that will put the European healthcare sector on the path to net zero carbon emissions.

Every year, HCWH Europe gathers sustainable healthcare leaders from across Europe (and beyond) for its annual European Healthcare Climate Summit.

We are the European arm of a global organisation with three regional offices - HCWH US & Canada (United States), HCWH Europe (Belgium), and HCWH Asia (The Philippines) - as well as two teams covering the Latin America region and global projects.HCWH Europe’s area of operations covers the 53 countries of the World Health Organization’s Euro region and was established in 2003 to focus on lobbying at an EU level and implementing sustainable practices in European healthcare. TransparencyAs a commitment to our transparency, HCWH Europe's Articles of Association can be viewed online as well as our sustainability policy. The organisation is an international non-profit association (AISBL) registered in Belgium and is also listed on the EU Transparency Register.Building networks for sustainable healthcareTo maximise the scale and impact of our work, HCWH Europe is also a member of many different environmental and health networks, partners...

The goal of the HealthForFood project is to reduce the use of antimicrobials in food production in the EU.

150 European health professionals are calling on the European Commission to reserve the essential, last-resort medicine, colistin, for human use to preserve public health and combat the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threat.