Furniture Companies Release Lists of Environmentally Preferable Products

RESTON, VA – Eleven furniture manufacturers and two textile suppliers have publicly released lists of products that avoid the use of chemicals linked to negative health and environmental impacts. The release of these lists makes it easy for hospitals to identify, compare, and select furniture that meets their sustainability standards. Broadly, the availability of this resource demonstrates the commitment of the market to move away from products containing chemicals of concern.

This announcement is part of a broader movement away from chemicals of concern in health care. Three years ago, Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm launched Healthier Hospitals, an initiative designed to aggregate the sustainability efforts in the health care sector and to leverage the purchasing power of this significant sector of the economy. Reducing the use of chemicals of concern in health care interiors was one of the goals. 

Since then, some of the nation’s largest health care systems have publicly announced a commitment to purchase furniture without toxic chemicals, including Advocate Health Care, Beaumont Health System, Hackensack University Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, and University Hospitals.

“Purchasing products without hazardous chemicals just became much easier for health care,” says Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth. “This represents another important milestone in our efforts to make the health care sector a national leader in sustainability.” 

Some furnishings can contain chemicals that have been linked to cancer, cognitive impairments, and immune system toxicity, among other health impacts. The Healthier Hospitals healthy interiors goal of the Safer Chemicals Challenge includes five chemical and material priorities to be avoided:

  • Flame retardants, many of which are toxic, persistent, and are not needed to achieve fire safety; 
  • Stain- and water-resist or perfluorinated compounds, which are highly persistent and bioaccumulate in humans and wildlife; 
  • Antimicrobials, which can pose hazards to human health and the environment and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance; 
  • PVC or polyvinyl chloride plastic, a worst-in-class plastic made up of known human carcinogens; and
  • Formaldehyde, also a known carcinogen. 

Where there are well-performing alternatives, Healthier Hospitals pushes the market to offer safer furnishings.

“These lists will enable health systems to better meet their sustainability goals by making it easier for purchasers to identify products without chemicals of concern,” says Mr. Cohen. “The announcement means we will be protecting patients, and helping to protect communities and workers where these products are made.”

See the new green furniture lists or to learn more about the Healthier Hospitals program here. Additional lists from other manufacturers are in development and will be added as they become available.

About Health Care Without Harm
Health Care Without Harm seeks to transform the health sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it becomes ecologically sustainable and a leading advocate for environmental health and justice.

About Practice Greenhealth 
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading health care community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge. To learn more about Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Announces Winners of 2025 Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2025 Product Awards! The award program recognizes innovation and excellence in products that enhance learning environments in K–12 schools and institutions of higher education.

  • i-PRO, NovoTrax Partner for New School Emergency Response Solution

    i-PRO Americas, Inc., which manufactures edge computing cameras, recently announced a partnership with NovoTrax, provider of end-to-end life safety and mass notification solutions, to address gaps in emergency response workflows at K–12 schools, according to a news release.

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • cutaway view of a modern school building, showing various rooms and zones

    Layering AI into HVAC Systems Shows Reduction in Carbon Emissions

    Heating and cooling systems are just one of the many new ways that AI can be integrated into schools. According to a new study from Schneider Electric's Sustainability Research Institute, AI-powered HVAC systems in schools can lead to significant carbon emissions savings.

Digital Edition