7. Reducing Waste in a
Patient Environment
Using the Correct Waste Receptacle:
• Sharps ONLY inside SharpSmart units – no swabs, lines, packaging!
• ONLY soft healthcare waste in or ORANGE bags
• Pharmaceutical waste in BLUE BioBins (Cyto inside PURPLE)
• Paper towel / blue roll in BLACK bags
• Packaging in clear RECYCLING bags
• Consider the nature of infection on the ward. Is classifying the waste
as infectious appropriate?
Providing Sufficient Waste Receptacles In Location:
• Black bag bins ALWAYS at sinks
• Recycling in patient areas – bed bays, communal areas, corridors.
• Recycling in all staff areas and treatment/drug/utility rooms.
8. The Cost of Waste
Waste Type Disposal
£ per
bag / box
Recycling Recycling Facility (North east) 14p
Domestic
Sorted then Energy from Waste
(North east) (No Landfill!)
35p*
Confidential Onsite Shredding £0.90*
Non-Infectious Waste
(Tiger)
Energy from Waste (North east) £0.55*
Infectious Waste
(Orange)
Heat Treatment (Benton) £0.80*
BioBin Incineration (UK-Wide) £3.26
Clinical Sharps Incineration (Leeds) £6.00 – £15.00*
We spent £1.06m on waste disposal last year: £800k on clinical and £260k on non-clinical waste
* Average weights estimated at 3kg for black, orange or tiger bag, 8kg for BioBin and 10kg for confidential sack.
** Estimated; we pay for the SharpSmart boxes per unit (all inclusive of treatment, hire and transport) not only by weight
11. Moving up the Waste Hierarchy –
Our 2020 Vision
• Expand Non-Infectious Waste Segregation
– Reduce the amount of non-hazardous waste being over
treated in current infectious waste stream.
– Save costs and environmental impact.
13. 18 01 04 – Non-Infectious Waste
Waste arising from patients is PRESUMED to be
non-infectious unless…
• …Infection in a patient is KNOWN or…
• …Infection in a patient is SUSPECTED
• Isolation/Barrier nursing procedure in effect
Successfully in 50+ Wards. Circa 20% weight
Ambition to achieve 50% Tiger by March 2019
14. Moving up the Waste Hierarchy –
Our 2020 Vision
• Expand Non-Infectious Waste Segregation
– Reduce the amount of non-hazardous waste being over
treated in current infectious waste stream.
– Save costs and environmental impact.
• RVI Food Waste for Anaerobic Digestion
– Heaviest part of our general waste.
– Huge environmental savings if segregated and consigned.
– Start in Catering Dep’t, then expand to Food Court.
16. Moving up the Waste Hierarchy –
Our 2020 Vision
• Expand Non-Infectious Waste Segregation
– Reduce the amount of non-hazardous waste being over
treated in current infectious waste stream.
– Save costs and environmental impact.
• RVI Food Waste for Anaerobic Digestion
– Heaviest part of our general waste.
– Huge environmental savings if segregated and consigned.
– Start in Catering Dept, then expand to Food Court.
• Increase Reuse of Discarded Items
– Ensure Equipment Team assess all surplus equipment for
reuse and implement WARPIT software (eBay for waste!).
– Expand reuse of unused medicines and surplus medical
equipment.
22. Move Up The Waste Hierarchy, Saving Money:
Furniture Reuse (CAV)
23. Moving up the Waste Hierarchy –
2020 Vision
• Increase recycling
– Expand into other waste streams (food, vinyl flooring,
carpets, timber, polystyrene, low-grade paper, plastic
media etc.)
• Reduce the amount of waste produced
– Reduce packaging from NHS Supply Chain
– Challenge prevalence of “disposable” materials
• Increase purchase of recycled content materials
– Work with colleagues in Supplies & Procurement
– Help increase demand for recyclables. Close the loop
24. PVC Masks and Tubes Recycling…
Divert 50% - save £9,300
Divert 75% - save £14,000
…developed into this…