Driving sustainability and cutting emissions | Latest news

Driving sustainability and cutting emissions

Ahead of the redevelopment of Whipps Cross, several schemes have been rolled out in the current hospital to reduce the amount of waste generated, to reuse more materials, and to increase our recycling rates and therefore reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.
 
In partnership with Globechain, we are ‘deferring’ the creation of carbon emissions by donating items we no longer need in the hospital for reuse by others.
 
Between October 2023 and September 2024, we were able to ‘defer’ a total of 1.3 tonnes of carbon emissions. That’s the equivalent of the carbon dioxide produced by a petrol-fuelled car over a three-month period. By not sending this waste to landfill we were also able to save almost £52,000.
 
Across the hospital, staff have also been working to reduce the amount of clinical and general waste being generated. Clinical waste was down by three tonnes between October 2023 and October 2024, and the figure for general waste was down by 34 tonnes over the same period.
This success has been down to projects such as reducing the unnecessary use of single use plastic gloves, switching to reusable ‘sharps’ containers to dispose of needles, syringes and other ‘sharp’ equipment, and the roll out of many more recycling bins to make it easier for staff, patients and visitors to recycle.
 
Over the coming months we’ll be talking more about how we are reducing the impact of the current Whipps Cross on the environment and about our sustainability plans for the redevelopment of the whole hospital site, including how we’ll be planting hundreds of trees and improving biodiversity.
 
If you are a member of staff who wants to divert items for reuse through the Globechain partnership, please contact george.welch-williams@nhs.net
 
 
 

Comments

  1. Jon Ashley says:

    Excellent short term initiatives. What is the estimated increase in carbon footprint due to the delay in starting the new hospital build (which should be more efficient and largely powered by renewable energy.

    Added on 14 Jan 2025 at 03:55 PM

  2. S Redington says:

    Although this article mentions reusing equipment and sustainability, why is it still impossible to return walking frames, crutches and other aids. I have been told that this is due to health and safety measures and the cost of sterilisation. I'm sure that measures could be easily introduced to make this both affordable and practible.

    Added on 15 Jan 2025 at 02:52 PM

  3. Rob Speight says:

    Hi S Redington - the Trust has introduced a recycling scheme that allows walking frames & crutches to be returned to our hopsitals and reused. This was introduced in 2024. George Welch-Williams can help provide details of how to access the service.

    Added on 22 Jan 2025 at 05:41 PM

  4. Christine Farnes says:

    Dear Mr Welch-Williams
    I am a Committee member of Waltham Forest u3a which is an organisation for people who are no longer in full time work and whose ages range from 50+. I am very interested to learn how crutches and walking frames can be returned to hospital as I am sure this will be of interest to our members who may have these in their homes and who no longer use them. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards
    Christine Farnes
    Waltham Forest u3a Committee

    Added on 28 Jan 2025 at 02:05 PM

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