Welsh researchers identify ways to cut NHS medical waste

Nation.Cymru staff

Researchers at a Welsh university have identified ways the NHS could reduce waste from single-use medical and laboratory products without compromising patient safety.

A Cardiff Metropolitan University study examined products used by Public Health Wales and found changes to procurement, waste disposal and the use of refillable systems could reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions.

The research comes as healthcare’s environmental impact faces increasing scrutiny. The sector is estimated to account for between 4% and 5% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

In Wales, procurement accounted for around 62% of NHS Wales’ carbon footprint in 2018/19, according to figures cited in the report.

The study, Design for Life: Assessing Opportunities for Circular and Low-Carbon Medical Technologies in Public Health Wales, was produced by Cardiff Met’s Circular Economy Innovation Communities team.

Researchers looked at five groups of products widely used within Public Health Wales – pipette tips and boxes, petri dishes, endoscopic devices, bijou vials and inoculating loops and needles.

They examined whether “circular economy” principles, which aim to keep products and materials in use rather than disposing of them after a single use, could be applied within healthcare.

The report acknowledges that infection control and patient safety mean some medical waste must continue to be disposed of through specialist routes.

However, researchers found there were opportunities to prevent lower-risk materials being unnecessarily sent through more carbon-intensive disposal processes.

Better separation of different types of healthcare waste could reduce both environmental impacts and costs, the report said.

Researchers also identified refillable laboratory systems as a relatively low-risk way of reducing plastic consumption which could be introduced without significantly disrupting existing laboratory practices.

Procurement was highlighted as another area where changes could have a significant impact.

The report found that once laboratories have invested in particular equipment and entered into supplier contracts they can become tied to specific disposable products, packaging and purchasing arrangements.

Researchers argue environmental considerations should therefore be built into purchasing decisions from the outset rather than considered after equipment and contracts are already in place.

Among the measures proposed are procurement reform, targeted pilot projects, improved waste management and closer cooperation between Public Health Wales and its suppliers.

‘Sustainability challenge’

Dr Gary Walpole, Director of the Circular Economy Innovation Communities programme, said patient safety and diagnostic standards would have to remain the priority when considering any changes.

He said: “Healthcare faces a unique sustainability challenge because patient safety, diagnostic quality and regulatory compliance must always come first.

“Our research shows there are meaningful opportunities to reduce avoidable waste and emissions, but any circular solutions must be implemented in ways that are safe, practical and supported by robust evidence.

“Better procurement decisions, improved waste segregation, closer collaboration with suppliers and greater staff engagement can all play an important role in reducing environmental impacts while maintaining the high standards expected across healthcare services.”

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