Waste Prevention and Efficiency
Preventing waste is crucial in sustainable management of healthcare waste. The Health Technical Memorandum states that hospitals and healthcare organizations must reduce waste, especially unused or damaged textiles. You can learn more about best practices in managing healthcare waste from resources like the World Health Organization (WHO).
Sustainable management of healthcare waste
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Create a Returns Policy: Hospitals should work with suppliers to create returns policies for unsold or damaged goods. This policy helps hospitals reuse, resell, or return items, reducing textile waste.
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Partner with Charities: Hospitals can work with charities to reuse textiles they no longer need. This partnership helps avoid unnecessary waste.
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Donate Usable Textiles: If textiles are in good condition, hospitals should donate them to charities or reuse organizations. This practice reduces waste and supports local communities.
Our Response:
Since 2022, we have run a Scrub Cap Recycling Scheme for hospitals without recycling services. We collect used scrub caps and help hospitals recycle them properly, reducing textile waste.
Sustainable management of healthcare waste
Waste Segregation, Storage, Handling, and Collection
Properly separating and storing healthcare textiles is key to preventing contamination and maintaining cleanliness.
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Store Clean Textiles Safely: Hospitals should store clean textiles in dust-free cupboards or closed trolleys, off the floor. This keeps textiles clean and prevents contamination.
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Separate Clean and Soiled Textiles: Hospitals must store clean textiles away from soiled items to avoid contamination.
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Handle Infectious Textiles Carefully: If clean textiles come into contact with infectious agents, hospitals should treat them as infected linen to protect patients and staff.
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Avoid Storing in the Wrong Areas: Hospitals should never store clean textiles in bathrooms, sluices, or on open trolleys unless needed immediately. These areas can introduce contaminants.
Our Response:
We offer closed bags for storing clean scrub caps. These bags keep the caps secure and make them easy to access for reuse. Contact us for more details.
Recovery, Treatment, and Disposal
Hospitals must handle the recovery, treatment, and disposal of textiles carefully when they can no longer be used.
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Set Up Take-back Schemes with Manufacturers: Hospitals should work with manufacturers to set up take-back schemes for unused textiles. These schemes ensure manufacturers process textiles properly.
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Use Charity Collection Services: Many charities provide collection services for unwanted textiles. Hospitals can use these services to recycle or donate textiles to those in need.
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Recycle Non-Reusable Textiles: Hospitals should recycle textiles that cannot be reused into new products, such as chair padding, cleaning cloths, or industrial blankets. This helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Our Response:
Since 2022, we have started a Scrub Cap Recycling Scheme for hospitals without recycling services. This ensures hospitals recycle used scrub caps properly, cutting waste and supporting sustainable practices.
Recycling Options for Healthcare Textiles
Recycling plays a key role in managing healthcare textiles sustainably. When textiles are no longer usable, hospitals can recycle them for other industries.
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Non-Healthcare Recycling: Many healthcare textiles, such as fabrics and polyester, can be recycled for use in industries like insulation, upholstery, or automotive manufacturing.
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Recycle Clinical Waste: Some clinical waste, like sterilized textiles, can be recycled after treatment. This reduces the need for incineration or landfill disposal.
Our Response:
We are committed to recycling textiles whenever possible. For example, we donate fabric scraps from scrub cap production to local schools for craft projects. This reduces textile waste and supports creativity. We also reuse the boards used to hold the fabric, further minimizing our environmental impact.
Disposal of Healthcare Waste
Disposal should always be the last option. However, some healthcare waste still needs disposal.
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Landfill Disposal: Hospitals should use landfill disposal only for healthcare waste that cannot be recycled or reused. They should minimize this method because it is less sustainable.
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Incineration with Energy Recovery: Incineration with energy recovery is the best method for disposing of healthcare waste. It safely disposes of waste while generating energy, making it a more sustainable alternative to landfill disposal.
Our Response:
We encourage hospitals to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills by promoting recycling and reuse. When hospitals must incinerate waste, we support energy recovery to reduce its environmental impact.
Final Thoughts
Sustainable waste management in healthcare is key to reducing environmental impact. By focusing on waste prevention, recycling, and proper disposal, hospitals can help conserve resources and contribute to a more sustainable future.
