Sustainable decontamination
detergents are concentrated and effective across water conditions, while its dosing solutions are designed to improve accuracy, reduce waste and standardise chemical use across multiple sites. The role of education: Training alongside
new products and systems ensures staff can implement changes confidently. Teams are more likely to adopt new processes when they see tangible benefits, such as reduced plastic waste, safer handling, fewer repeat washes and lower chemical consumption. Sharing successes across departments accelerates adoption and embeds sustainable practice across networks.
Overcoming barriers Greener decontamination isn’t without challenges. Central dosing systems and other equipment require investment, regulations may favour traditional products and staff may worry that safety could be compromised. But lifecycle analysis often shows that
greener products save money over time by reducing waste, transport and energy. Pilot projects provide evidence of compliance and build confidence in new approaches. Procurement teams are increasingly focused on sustainability, and partnerships between SSDs, suppliers and hospital leadership make it easier to align goals and share risks.
Looking to the future Innovation will continue to drive greener sterile services. Bio-based and biodegradable surfactants, refillable packaging and circular economy initiatives are emerging. Smart sensors and AI-driven systems could optimise cycles in real time, adjusting water, energy and chemical use for each load. Heat recovery, water recycling and modular, on-demand decontamination units could further cut environmental impact. Regulatory frameworks integrate sustainability into compliance standards, making environmental performance part of accreditation. As a supplier, we are actively exploring these
trends. The research and development pipeline is focusing on new chemistries, more efficient dosing systems and eco-friendly packaging. By working with SSDs to tailor solutions to each department’s workflow, layout and instrument requirements, the aim is to ensure greener practices are practical, compliant and
sustainable. For example, a typical SSD replacing single-use plastic drums with a central dosing system could cut plastic waste by up to 60% and reduce chemical consumption, while improving safety and workflow efficiency. Smaller changes, such as switching to concentrated detergents, standardising dosing across sites or sharing best practice between departments, also yield significant results. Each incremental improvement reduces water, energy and chemical use, lowers costs and helps hospitals meet Net Zero targets.
Conclusion Sterile services are essential to infection prevention and patient safety, but they carry a heavy environmental burden. Greener practice requires a combination of effective chemicals, smarter packaging, centralised dosing, efficient processes and staff education. When departments implement these measures, they reduce environmental impact, cut costs, improve workflow and maintain the highest standards of patient care. Sustainable sterile services are not a future
aspiration; they are a practical, achievable goal. Through product innovation, process improvement and staff engagement, SSDs can
Greener practice requires a combination of effective chemicals, smarter packaging, centralised dosing, efficient processes and staff education.
lead the way in greener healthcare. Ultimately, compliance and sustainability can go hand- in-hand, delivering safer, more efficient and environmentally responsible services. Greener practice isn’t just about meeting Net
Zero targets. It’s about creating SSDs that are safer, more efficient and better prepared for the future of healthcare.
CSJ
About the author
Alison Arnold is the Commercial Director at Serchem. Alison started her career in the NHS in 1986, qualifying as an RGN in 1989 and originally worked in trauma and orthopaedics. She went on to work in various nursing roles in both the hospital and the community. Alison joined Serchem in 2003 and is now a proud co-owner of the decontamination and hygiene business Serchem.
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