Contract Period: April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023

Location: Chile, Argentina

Status: Deliverables are anticipated to take 20 hours per week. Availability to participate in coordination calls between 9:30am-4pm (Argentina) is required.

Report deliverables to: Jaquelina Tapia, Technical Manager of Programs for Latin America

Supervises: None

Posting Date: February 17, 2023

Posting Closing Date: March 17 , 2023

Organizational Overview

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability, and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. With regional offices on four continents, partners around the world, and global and regional initiatives, HCWH is leading the global sustainable health care movement.

Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH), a program of Health Care Without Harm, is an international network of hospitals, health care facilities, health systems, and health organizations dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint and promoting public and environmental health. GGHH has 976 institutional members in Latin America, which represent the interests of over 24,000 hospitals and health centers in the region.

Contract Description

The Technical Consultant will provide expertise towards the implementation of the ongoing projects in Latin America with a focus on waste management, particularly on plastic characterization.

The consultant will work to support the plastics audits that will be carried out in member hospitals of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network for the characterization of single-use plastics and other plastics used in the healthcare sector.

The consultant will provide expertise with the implementation of the Reducing plastic in healthcare and collaborate in identifying opportunities to strengthen the work of Health Care Without Harm and the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), for the regional development and implementation of a plastic waste strategy. 

We seek technical expertise to collaborate in the development and implementation of a plastic waste characterization to generate data and regional information to support Latin American and Caribbean projects related to the waste objective of the Global Agenda.

Estimates suggest that in the US, 25% of healthcare waste is plastic. Data from the National Health Service in the UK also documents similar amounts of plastic waste (22.7% of total waste or 2,565 tonnes a day). In Southeast Asia, results from waste audits in hospitals in the Philippines and Indonesia have shown that 50-65% of waste volume is plastic. Global estimates on plastic consumption identify packaging and textiles as two of the top three end markets for single use plastics (SUPs).

Health Care Without Harm is calling for the Plastics Treaty to support and amplify measures to reduce the impact of unsafe and unsustainable medical products. Bans and restrictions need to have global scope to prevent the migration of dirty technologies and products to parts of the word where controls are less strict (Brigden and Stringer (2003) Atmospheric dispersal of mercury from the Hindustan Lever Limited thermometer factory, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India, using lichen as a biomonitor ), to help overcome barriers to bringing innovative and safer products onto the global market (Karolinska University Hospital (2018) International collaboration for PVC-free blood bags ). Unless the Treaty clearly marks the path to safer and more sustainable plastics, manufacturers, especially smaller ones, will be forced to continue to follow the status quo.

HCWH has built a strong track record in developing and implementing plastic reduction strategies, policies and practices for the healthcare sector, notably through the Sustainable Health in Procurement Project (SHiPP), funded by SIDA, and the Towards plastic-free healthcare projects, funded by the Flotilla Foundation.

The consultancy aims to carry out plastic waste characterizations in at least four services, from five to ten hospitals in two countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The results of the consultancy will be summarized in a regional report of plastic waste that will present the activities carried out for the waste characterization, the barriers and opportunities in detail, include the results of the characterization per hospital and services, and recommend next steps. 

The consultant will also be required to provide assistance in the elaboration of an assessment of the state of the art of the normative framework of the countries where the participating hospitals are based.

It is also expected that the consultant will provide expertise and collaborate to strengthen HCWH’s initiatives related to sustainable procurement in healthcare and the monitoring of its environmental footprint.

In these activities, the consultant will work with the Health Care Without Harm team based in Latin America (LAC). 

Goals

• Collaborate in the adaptation and implementation of the methodology for the characterization of plastic waste in the health sector.
• Collaborate in the development of content for training on the implementation of the methodology.
• Carry out training on the identification, segregation and accounting of plastic waste in the health sector. 
• Support the characterization of plastic waste to be carried out in the hospitals that take part in the project.
• Prepare reports of results and collaborate in the development of a waste strategy with a focus on plastic waste reduction.
• Compile and review leading case studies on waste management, plastic reduction, and waste with a focus on plastics.
• Compile and review laws on waste management and plastic reduction. 
• Disseminate the achievements of the members of the GGHH Network in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Deliverables

Activities: 

1. Collaborate in the adaptation and implementation of the methodology for the characterization of plastic waste in the health sector.

• Develop the waste characterization methodology
• Collect and compile examples/procedures for the implementation of the waste characterization methodology.
• Identify opportunities for improvement of the methodology and register them.
• Compile and review leading case studies on waste management, plastic reduction and waste with a focus on plastics*.
• Compile and review laws on waste management and plastic reduction. 
• Collaborate in the development of a survey to identify members interested in participating.
• Collaborate in the development of content for training on the implementation of the methodology.
• Carry out training on the identification, segregation and accounting of plastic waste in the health sector. 
• Participate and support the characterization of plastic waste to be carried out in the hospitals that are part of the project.
• Prepare reports of results and collaborate in the development of a waste strategy with a focus on plastic waste reduction.
• Compile images and data reports from members. 
• Disseminate the achievements of the members of the GGHH Network in Latin America

*Health Care Without Harm and the consultant will review contents and case studies together. This deliverable may require the conduction of interviews and information requests to members.

Timeline: April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023

2. Data analysis to develop the Plastic Waste Characterization report in   collaboration with the project leader. 

3. Collaborate with content development (data analysis, case studies, images, other materials) to support the development of a regional strategy for plastic waste reduction.

Timeline: April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023

4. Participate in coordination calls with HCWH LAC team (weekly/bi-weekly, scheduled in advance).

Timeline: April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023

The consultant must be able to identify barriers and opportunities for improvement, with the aim of showing how Health Care Without Harm, through its initiatives, contributes to building healthier and ecologically sustainable environments.

The consultant will also provide expertise and collaborate with the overall implementation of the Menos huella, más salud (smaller footprint, greater health) program for the waste category.

Deliverables and timing may be updated upon written (email) agreement by both parties.

Qualifications & Competencies

Required

• Education: Degree in environmental sciences and/or health. Combined experience/education as a substitute for minimum education. Advanced degree in public health, public policy, sustainability, or equivalent is also preferred.
• Experience: At least three years of experience in program/project implementation in a nonprofit, private/public sector and/or health care setting of waste management. Proven track record in program development on environmental health or sustainability with focus in plastics and waste management.
• Field of expertise: Development and analysis of waste management, waste characterization, plastic waste, LCA of plastics. Work experience in advocacy  and sustainability as part of a health care institution/organization is also preferred.
• Languages: Spanish (native). Fluency in English is required. Portuguese is a plus.
• Excellent writing skills are required.
• Intermediate to expert knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel and Google Drive. 
• Ability to think proactively, take initiative and see tasks through to completion with appropriate follow-up.
• Self-disciplined, action-oriented style that can prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. Strong work ethic.
• Flexibility to provide expertise to a team or independently to meet goals in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Self-directed to take action and resolve issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with others to achieve the organization's goals

Desirable 

• Familiarity with the health care sector, public health and environmental issues. 
• Familiarity with the Global Agenda for Green and Healthy Hospitals.
• Experience in the management of health sector waste in Chile.
• To know the regulations on waste in the health sector in Chile.
• To have performed characterization of urban solid waste.

What’s In It For You?

• Work for an organization where the mission is inspiring, and your colleagues are passionate and motivated.
• Work with staff that care deeply for the mission and the network of people carrying out that mission.
• Play a role in helping drive growth, influence impact, and advance efforts to create a more sustainable health care sector and community.
• Be part of an inspirational eclectic network.

To Apply or Inquire

Upload your proposal, cover letter and/or resume/CV addressed to Jaquelina Tapia, Technical Manager of Programs for Latin America here. Questions can be addressed to jobs@hcwh.org. Deadline submission is March 17, 2023.

Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth are committed to seeking and sustaining culturally and ethnically diverse organizations, and to the principles that promote inclusive practices. We are dedicated to building a diverse staff with expertise and interest in serving the mission of the organizations in respectful ways. HCWH is an Equal Opportunity Employer.