ROLLING MEADOWS, Illinois, December 18, 2002 (ENS) - Consorta, Inc. a leading group purchasing and resource management company, announced Tuesday that it will no longer allow products containing mercury to be offered through any group contract, unless no viable substitute product exists.

Consorta also plans to "aggressively advocate" for PVC product labeling, the company said Tuesday.

Consorta first implemented an Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Strategy (EPP) just over a year ago and has since been working with manufacturers to reduce or eliminate toxic products and to reduce waste and provide agreements to facilitate environmentally sound disposal technologies.

With the EPP foundation in place, Consorta and their shareholder leadership have now committed to a much more aggressive posture. Specific initiatives include a "mercury free" campaign, which involves taking mercury containing clinical products off contract.

Consorta will also provide support to Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of more than 390 organizations, in urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require labeling of PVC plastic medical devices that contain the plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP).

Together with the American Hospital Association, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E), Consorta will continue to support targeted initiatives to minimize the volume and toxicity of medical waste, reduce wasteful packaging, and increase recycled content.

"Consorta is taking a leadership role among the GPOs by not providing mercury containing clinical items in their contracts. As an H2E Champion for Change, Consorta is helping raise the standard of environmental responsibility by providing safer products for our patients, staff, community and the environment," said Laura Brannen, co-director of H2E.

The Consorta membership grew 26 percent in fiscal year 2002 and comprises more than 400 acute care facilities representing 55,944 beds and more than 1,700 other sites of care. Consorta's environmentally responsible purchasing strategy is being implemented through several means, including:

• Requiring suppliers to identify products with potentially dangerous content and to eliminate these products from group agreements whenever viable substitutes exist.
• Urging the FDA to require labeling of PVC plastic medical devices that contain the plasticizer DEHP
• Incorporating environmentally preferable products and good waste minimization practices into group agreements.
• Providing end users with information on environmentally preferable products and making it easy to use those products.
• Providing information on state of the art disposal practices.
• Monitoring the development of environmentally preferable products.

"We are excited by Consorta's leadership in selecting products that will positively impact patient health. It is evidence of a trend in the group purchasing sector that [group purchasing organizations] are taking the lead in improving the environmental impact of the health care industry," said Jamie Harvie, co-leader of the mercury workgroup of Health Care Without Harm.

One Million Washington Children Breathe Unhealthy Air

SEATTLE, Washington, December 18, 2002 (ENS) - More than one million children in Washington state live in counties where the air they breathe could be harmful to their development and health, an annual report shows.

The 2002 County/City Profiles of Child and Family Well-Being report, released today by the University of Washington's Washington Kids Count project, finds that industries in nine counties accounted for three-quarters of the release of industrial toxic chemicals into Washington state's air in 2000. These nine counties - Clark, Cowlitz, King, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Walla Walla and Whatcom - are home to more than one million children.

Industries in four counties - Snohomish, Benton, Clark and Whatcom - accounted for two-thirds of the release of industrial toxic chemicals into the water, while industries in Lewis County accounted for 82 percent of the release of industrial toxic chemicals into the land in 2000.

Each year, industries must report the levels of toxic chemicals they release into the air, land and water. Almost three-quarters of the top 20 chemicals reported by industries in 1997 were known or suspected neurotoxicants - chemicals that are toxic to the developing brain. Neurotoxicant exposure is linked to a variety of childhood disorders.

"Industrial toxic chemical releases, along with pesticides, vehicle exhaust and other forms of pollution, can create a dangerous environment for raising families," said Dr. Sheri Hill, assistant director of the Washington Kids Count project. "It's time for environmental, health and social services organizations to join hands and work together to improve the health and safety of Washington children."

University of Washington researchers suggest that this information raises a warning flag for industries and communities. Current knowledge of the impact of these releases on children and families is similar to the level of knowledge of the effects of second hand tobacco smoke 20 years ago.

"We know that young bodies and brains are especially vulnerable to toxic chemical exposures, so the potential for harm can be substantial," said Elaine Faustman, director of the University of Washington's Center for Child Environmental Health Risks Research. "It is essential that we partner with business and community leaders, legislators and policymakers to ensure that we know if, when and how these releases impact our families."

The 2002 County/City Profiles of Child and Family Well-Being report examines how children and families are faring in each of the state's 39 counties and its three biggest cities: Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane. The report and county rankings are available online at: http://www.hspc.org