The UK healthcare sector produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste every year. At Biovault, we’re working to reduce waste in every area and have been inspired by the difference it makes.
Sources: Sustainable waste management - A guide for the healthcare sector(link is external), Healthcare Without Harm; Centre for Sustainable Healthcare
types of waste in healthcare
It’s important to note that healthcare waste can be hazardous. 27% of European healthcare waste is potentially infectious, and 6% is sharp. These types of waste need to be treated specially; sometimes, that currently means they are incinerated.
However, the majority of healthcare waste is general waste. 67% of healthcare waste in Europe comes under this category and is neither infectious nor sharp. In 2018, the WHO estimated this figure could be as high as 85%.
80% of general waste is generally suitable for recycling, though in the UK only 44% actually is recycled.
the problem of (single-use) plastics in healthcare
Despite our understanding of the environmental hazards of single-use plastics, their use has increased, with an estimated 42% incinerated after just one use.*
Plastic is often the preferred choice for medical equipment due to its versatility, cost-efficiency, and durability. However, the use of single-use plastics in healthcare facilities has significantly increased over the past few decades, resulting in more plastic waste. This issue was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in the production, use, and demand for masks, gloves, and auto tests. The consequences of our throwaway attitude to these products were later revealed in mountains of discarded PPE, the masks washing up on beaches around the world and the drop in recycling during this period. **
In addition to environmental concerns, we're increasingly aware of plastics' health impacts, such as micro- and nano-plastics in the air, food, and water, toxic chemicals from plastic production and disposal, and harmful plastic additives. Thus, action is needed.
What's being done?
As Innovate UK describe, the NHS is addressing this issue. The 2019 NHS Long Term Plan called for reducing single-use plastics. The Greener NHS program helps cut avoidable single-use plastics in clinical activities and reduce plastic packaging. The NHS has also launched a Single-Use Plastics Reduction Pledge targeting consumer and food & drink waste.
Under the "Delivering a Net Zero NHS" initiative, there are commitments to reduce and reuse plastics and improve PPE sustainability. For manufacturers, the Plastics Packaging Tax was introduced in the UK in April 2022. At COP26, 45 countries committed to sustainable and low-carbon healthcare, with 14 aiming for net zero by 2050. Thus, UK market changes could influence global markets.
how we’re reducing our impact
choosing innovative & low-impact materials
Biovault’s notebooks are made from stone paper—that’s right, paper made from stones. They are 100% tree-free, and their production process uses less energy than that of recycled and new pulp paper. Stone paper is also water resistant, so spilt coffee can easily be wiped off!
Instead of throwaway plastic pens, Biovault uses pens made from natural, compostable bamboo and can be refilled indefinitely.
choosing recycled and recyclable
Our brochures are made from a recycled FSC paper mix and are uncoated, so can be recycled or even composted.
reducing plastics
Rather than use plastic tape that compromises the recyclability of our packaging, we now use paper tape to seal our boxes.
reusing where appropriate
Sometimes only a new box will do, but whenever it’s appropriate we reuse old boxes, sealing them with paper packing tape rather than plastic.
When we do send a new box, we package as efficiently and minimally as possible.
next steps to zero-waste
single-use
We’re challenging single-use everywhere in our business and looking for alternatives in every area, from our coffee machine to our PPE.
We look forward to sharing more progress soon.
