CLINICAL WASTE
The journey to Net Zero Healthcare settings are well aware of their ethical and regulatory responsibility to set robust sharps management policies. Sharps containers are an essential part of these strategies, but these high-volume plastic items can also be a drain on sustainability efforts. The planet is in the midst of a climate crisis, and reducing emissions is a critical global challenge that requires the active participation of every segment of society. Medicine and healthcare, while essential for public well-being, are not immune from this effort, significantly contributing to climate change, both directly and indirectly. The sector’s environmental impact is substantial, driven by energy consumption, waste generation, resource use, and the carbon footprint of medical products and services. Every healthcare setting, then, has a role to play in
helping the NHS meet its goal of being the world’s first Net Zero national health service. The organisation has pledged to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions, i.e., those it is directly responsible for, by 80% between 2028 and 2032, with the aim of meeting Net Zero by 2040. In terms of scope 3 emissions, or those connected to suppliers, and factors such as staff travel and goods transport, the goal is to reach Net Zero by 2045.8 Achieving this will not be easy. In England, the NHS is responsible for 4% of the country’s emissions.9
Medicines,
equipment, and ‘other supply chain’ sources, make up the majority, and clinical waste – which includes sharps disposal, accounts for a large proportion. Every year the health service generates around 156,000 tonnes, equivalent to 400 fully loaded jumbo jets, of clinical waste.10
Many hospitals, clinics, and surgeries, have moved to reusable containers in a bid to reduce their environmental impact. This approach, however, is not always the most reliable. Firstly, there is a risk to breaking the chain of infection that responsible sharps disposal is designed to disrupt. Incinerating sharps containers, rather than disinfecting them, ensures the complete destruction of pathogens, including the most resistant bacteria, viruses, and spores. In fact, research from the US has found that Clostridioides difficile rates were 15% higher in hospitals that used reusable bins than in those that used single-use disposable containers. In addition, incineration physically eliminates the sharps, removing any subsequent risk of NSIs, or even needle re-use.11
Secondly, reusable
containers cannot service every necessary function within an acute setting – there will always be a need for single- use items. As a result, two system practices will need to be implemented.
Safer, greener sharps management Luckily, responsible, safe sharps disposal and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. There are lots of things that healthcare settings can do to make their policies as
‘green’ as possible, without ever compromising on safety. Comprehensive staff training is essential to ensure that all workers involved in sharps use and disposal understand the importance of safe practice, and their impact on sustainability. Educated staff are much more likely to follow procedures for reducing waste and support sustainability goals.
It is all part of creating a culture of green awareness that is essential for the long-term success of sustainable sharps disposal policies. As well as training and education, leaders can engage staff at all levels in sustainability initiatives by establishing ‘green teams’, recognising and rewarding sustainable practices, and encouraging innovation in waste management. This will help make sure that sharps disposal practices are consistently aligned with environmental goals.
Material composition Examining the materials and processes used to produce the sharps containers can also help. In the past, sharps bins were made from virgin plastic, which is extremely resource-intensive. Newer, more innovative designs incorporate durable, puncture- resistant recycled plastic. The Sharpsafe container, for example, uses a locally sourced recycled polypropylene base
Healthcare settings are well aware of their ethical and regulatory responsibility to set robust sharps management policies. Sharps containers are an essential part of these strategies, but these high-volume plastic items can also be a drain on sustainability efforts
November 2024 Health Estate Journal 65
Under the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, all healthcare settings must have a written sharps management protocol.
Newer, more innovative sharps bin designs incorporate durable, puncture-resistant recycled plastic.
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