Every year, NHS providers produce approximately 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste that is either sent to high temperature incineration (HTI) or for alternative treatment (AT), which is equivalent to over 400 loaded jumbo jets of waste. This has a significant environmental impact and is associated with high running costs and carbon emissions.
Therefore, as one of the largest producers of waste in the country, it is vital that the NHS disposes it in a safe, efficient and sustainable manner, and we are only creating waste when absolutely necessary.
This clinical waste strategy has been created to support NHS providers in making the necessary step change in waste management practices. It is part of a suite of documents including the HTM 07-01 and the NHS waste planning tool, developed to help set the direction, trajectory, and speed of change necessary to reach the NHS target of net zero for direct carbon emissions by 2040, and net zero for indirect carbon emissions by 2045, and to ensure the NHS is using its resources effectively.
The best waste management practices reduce waste, improve compliance, and can lead to significant cost savings from lower waste volumes. They also have a significant part to play in minimising harm to the environment and increasing resource utilisation. This all leads to a reduction in carbon generated from waste and saving taxpayers money.
This strategy also encourages the use of innovation to increase NHS waste management resilience, improved data use to help guide decision making, and improved staff engagement and training to improve compliance and seek out carbon reduction opportunities in the system.
In our journey to reduce waste to an absolute minimum, there will be many opportunities to review the materials we use and to find ways of re-using, remanufacturing, or recycling, thus turning them into valuable resources for future use.
Most importantly, by implementing this strategy over the next 10 years, we estimate that the NHS can save approximately £11 million every year in recurrent revenue costs and we can reduce our carbon emissions from waste by approximately 30% – equivalent to removing 2 million road miles a year.
I encourage all NHS providers to embrace and adopt this strategy and embed the steps from the action plan as part of their daily waste management practices.
Simon Corben, Director of Estates and Head of Profession, NHS England
Read strategy document
Date: 20 March