Waste Management - Reduction - Easy Wins

General

• Set an organisational recycling target – at least 60 per cent for non-clinical waste
• Establish a Waste Review Group with representation from across the organisation, to work on data collection and analysis, reviewing waste strategies and implementing new plans
• Undertake regular waste management reviews to identify areas of success and areas for further action, particularly in highlighting activities which create unnecessary waste

In the office & for staff:

• Avoid bottled water – make a Trust policy that jugs of tap water are to be provided for meetings.
• Provide incentives to recycle, such as raising a charity donation from aluminium can recycling.
• Use paper recycling bins and desktop recycling trays in offices and work areas
• Remove individual waste bins from under desks – people are far more likely to recycle if they have to walk to the waste and recycling area

Clinical and ward waste:

• Order appropriate pack sizes for clinical procedures.
• Institute robust stock control to prevent wastage of products which exceed their shelf life.
• Choose collapsing packaging to reduce the volume of material transported – and make sure you let the suppliers know.
• Dispose of non-infected clinical products as domestic waste, for example saline bags.
• Reduce the number of clinical waste sacks by only locating sacks where clinical waste is regularly produced.
• Maximise the value of potentially recyclable materials by careful segregation - promoting appropriate segregation through training and work procedures and ensure that bins are correctly labelled and colour-coded.