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Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust Eliminate 15 Tonnes of Plastic Through Switching to a Reusable Waste Container

29 January 2025

We identified the need to retire old products initially because of safety (reducing injuries from handling sharps) and then realised how environmentally unfriendly our disposal method was, because both the containers and their contents were incinerated after one use. Since establishing new reusable waste containers, our sharps injuries have reduced – and in addition to not just throwing things away, the team has prevented thousands of single use containers from being manufactured and helped us to reduce our carbon emissions.

Paul Simpson, Chief Finance Office and Director of Estates and Facilities, at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Project Overview

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) has embarked on an ambitious Green Plan as part of its contribution to the NHS’ ambition to be Net Zero Carbon. Through the Care Without Carbon programme the team at SASH are delivering on a comprehensive range of initiatives to meet these sustainability goals.

In early 2021, a project was initiated by the health and safety manager to identify a safer method for sharps disposal, which would also reduce the trust’s greenhouse gas emissions. By switching to reusable sharps containers, SASH were able to eliminate 15 tonnes of plastic in a single year and deliver an 87% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by switching to reusable waste containers.

Sharps waste container in healthcare setting

The trial was supported by the head of procurement, operating theatre co-ordinators and the facilities team. Data made available via our usage reports enabled cost benefit analysis to be carried out by the supplier and trust, to accurately forecast the potential carbon and financial savings from switching to the new reusable process.

The Process

There are two clear and feasible targets for the NHS Net Zero commitment:

Following extensive engagement with key stakeholders around departmental needs and processes for waste removal, a comprehensive savings forecast of the potential, plastic and financial savings, along with the reduction in carbon emissions was developed for the trust by the supplier on our Reusable Clinical Waste Containers framework.

Plastic savings were calculated by identifying the volume and weight of single use containers used across the trust over a 12-month period. These orders would be gradually reduced and then eradicated as the new reusable end-to-end process was phased in. The product was initially trialled in theatres, the emergency department, and two wards for a six-month period.

Carbon savings calculations are based on a barrier constrained 3Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, that evaluates the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) produced at each process in the lifecycle for single use containers compared to reusable containers. This considers the CO2e produced through the following steps of the process:

Manufacturing, Transport, Cleaning and Disposal

A forecast of the range of potential savings was presented to the trust at the start of the process by the supplier.

Once the trials were completed, the trust was able to seamlessly utilise our Reusable Waste Containers framework to set their agreement up, moving from a product to a reusable service arrangement. In April 2022, the trust appointed a dedicated waste manager who oversees the process and ensures the system works for all departments. Monthly usage reports ensure savings are on track and highlight any opportunities to make further efficiencies. A simple and completely transparent solution for clinical waste management at the trust has been achieved.

Making changes like these can be a challenge, but we have great working relationships within the trust so when staff understood the reasoning and process, it was easy to bring them along on the journey and get it across the line. Our new Waste Manager really drove the implementation, so much so people are now looking at other changes that would deliver on all the same benefits.

Lee Edwards, Head of Procurement at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Challenges

  • A change to the size of the containers was initially a concern for some staff, but this was overcome as the bins were phased in and their capacity realised.
  • As with many busy NHS departments, storage can be a concern, an agreed weekly delivery schedule and a twice-weekly collection ensured this was not a problem.

Outcome and Benefits

  • Plastic Reduction: 4Since January 2022, there has been a removal of 15 tonnes of plastic and a reduction of 87% in greenhouse gas emissions from sharps waste management, a huge contribution towards supporting the trust in reaching their Green Plan goals.
  • Streamlined Operations: The new system has simplified the management of clinical waste. No more handling and distributing 36,000 single-use sharps containers across 90 locations. The process is now fully integrated with NHS Supply Chain, eliminating the need for ad-hoc orders, complex stock management, and incineration of plastic containers.
  • Cost Savings: In the first year alone, SASH saved approximately £23,000 in procurement and waste management costs by reducing the need for single-use containers and their disposal.
  • Enhanced Safety: Employee sharps-related incidents at disposal have decreased by 16%. This improvement is largely due to the innovative cantilevered drop tray, which prevents hand access and includes a warning indicator for full receptacles, ensuring timely replacements and reducing contact risks.
  • Longevity and Efficiency: The reusable containers can be decontaminated and reused for up to 10 years. Only the waste inside is disposed of, and the stackable design allows for safe storage and transport without additional packaging, further minimizing waste.
  • Increased Awareness: The shift to reusable containers has also heightened staff awareness of waste streams and proper segregation, fostering a culture of sustainability that helps reduce carbon footprint, single-use plastic, and overall waste.

The implementation of the reusable waste container end to end process supports SASH in their pledges set out within their Green Plan around waste reduction. It is also their ongoing ambition to reduce plastic across the trust. Everyone is able to contribute towards delivering their goals of reducing carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2040.

At SASH, we are committed to reducing our use of plastic and the amount of plastic waste we generate as set out in our Green Plan. Our new reusable sharps containers support us to streamline processes and pathways, to reduce waste and create a more sustainable NHS.

Michael Brownjohn, Waste Manager – at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

SASH works in partnership with Care Without Carbon on a comprehensive range of initiatives to become more sustainable. In addition to the implementation of reusable waste containers, the trust has made great gains in delivering on its Green Plan, highlights include:

  • All nurses’ uniforms are now being made from recycled plastic bottles.
  • 100% renewable electricity across all sites.
  • 150 trees planted last year.
  • Plans to create a new woodland area over several acres at East Surrey Hospital site.
  • Achievement of over 30% reduction in their total carbon emissions so far, well on the way to an interim target of a 57% reduction by 2025.
  • Installation of 10 electric charging points at East Surrey Hospital, with four available for patient and visitor use.

See our Useful Links section to view the contract information page for Reusable Waste Containers, and start your journey to converting your clinical waste containers to an end-to-end service for Reusable Waste Containers.

The framework can deliver considerable reductions in single use plastic consumption and CO2 emissions, compared to the current single use clinical waste container.

The buying process for this framework will be different to that of our standard consumables frameworks. If you have any questions, please contact your ICS Manager.

References

  1. Download the Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service Report https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/publication/delivering-a-net-zero-national-health-service/.
  2. Care Without Carbon – An engagement program for delivering sustainable healthcare that was developed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust https://carewithoutcarbon.org/about/care-without-carbon-strategy/.
  3. This article from the BMJ is open access and explains the full methodology bmjopen.bmj.com around how this was calculated.
  4. 87% reduction is calculated by comparing the lifecycle impacts of single use containers (84.6 tonnes CO2e) against the lifecycle impact of the reusable containers, which has been reduced to 11.0 tonnes CO2e. For more information on this methodology bmjopen.bmj.com.