News /
20.11.2024
We’re up for a Waste2Zero Award
- Nominated for Royal Surrey County Hospital’s Waste Management Strategy
- Footprint's Waste2Zero - Best Waste Prevention Project Award (non-food)
Background
Our Royal Surrey County Hospital Waste Management Team demonstrates exceptional daily commitment, innovation, and efficiency in managing waste within the NHS. Their efforts have not only improved the hospital’s environmental footprint, but also set a benchmark for sustainable practices in healthcare waste management across the region.
Royal Surrey Hospital produces 105 tonnes of waste, on average, each month which consists of 18 different waste streams. Evidently, this quantity and complexity of waste requires a high level of management. Part of our role is to ensure the environmental impact of waste at Royal Surrey is minimised through reducing waste and increasing recycling rates.
The Solution
Recycling Strategies
Introduced numerous recycling strategies to try and increase the amount of waste that is recycled within the trust. For example, a focus on single use plastic in the onsite restaurants.
Waste Segregation
The effective segregation of clinical waste is a cornerstone of operational excellence within NHS trusts, driving three major benefits:
- Improved sustainability
- Enhanced health and safety
- Significant cost savings
Key initiatives include:
- Assigning waste champions
- Re-educating staff
- Enhanced signage
- Auditing
- Root cause analysis
- Innovation
Food Waste
Targeting food waste, we have worked with the Trust to implement several strategic initiatives that have led to a significant reduction in food waste.
Through our patient surveys, Medirest collects detailed information on patient meal preferences and dietary restrictions during mealtimes to tailor meal offerings accordingly. Using this data, we can accurately forecast demand, thereby reducing over-preparation and minimising surplus. Where surplus does exist it is redistributed though our partnership with Olio.
All of our food waste is disposed of via anaerobic digestion, the method for composting food waste that generates renewable energy and reduces carbon emissions. It occurs in a sealed tank without oxygen, relying on micro-organisms to break down the waste.
Staff engagement
As well as a dedicated waste management sub-team we ensure that all our porters are thoroughly trained in the various waste streams segregation from the outset.
Results
Recycling efforts have shown significant progress, with a 22.9% increase in recycling between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 financial years. Notably, from January to March 2024, following the implementation of new initiatives, there was a 31.4% increase in recycling waste compared to the 2023 monthly average.
There has also been a significant food waste reduction - according to the 2023-2024 ERIC data report, the hospital has achieved a reduction of 10 tonnes in food waste. This notable accomplishment is largely attributed to the initiatives spearheaded by Medirest, particularly the partnership with Olio.