Better Business / Grundon Waste Management
Grundon launches reusable sharps container service for NHS Trusts
Bristol’s waste management leader, Grundon, in collaboration with medical specialist Inpress Precision, is revolutionizing NHS waste management with the introduction of Sharpak Zero™ reusable sharps containers. This innovative service promises substantial carbon savings, essential for NHS trusts striving to meet stringent emission reduction targets.
The Sharpak Zero™ containers, designed for safe disposal of sharp medical instruments such as needles, scalpels, and scissors, offer an eco-friendly alternative to single-use containers.
By reusing these containers, the service boasts an impressive 87 per cent reduction in carbon emissions over the container’s lifecycle, significantly mitigating the environmental impact of medical waste.
A trial at an NHS trust has already shown promising results, with over a tonne of CO2 equivalent saved in just eight weeks across two intensive care units. Andy Stratton, commercial manager for clinical at Grundon, highlights the service’s potential to help NHS trusts achieve carbon reduction goals outlined in the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy.
Trusts are required to cut carbon emissions from waste management by 50 per cent by 2026 and 80 per cent by 2028-2032, alongside a 15 per cent reduction in the cost of clinical waste management per tonne by 2030.
Our new reusable sharps container service, developed in partnership with Inpress Precision, uses Sharpak Zero™ reusable containers, preventing millions of single-use containers being disposed of each year and 87% carbon. ??
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— Grundon (@GrundonRecycle) June 11, 2024
Stratton emphasises the necessity for bold, innovative decisions in adopting new technologies and operational methods. He assures that Sharpak Zero™ containers simplify this transition, requiring no changes to existing disposal routes, thus ensuring easy implementation for nursing staff.
He said: “By 2026, trusts have been tasked with achieving a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions produced from waste management, a figure that rises to 80 per cent by 2028-2032.
“The hard facts are that, to achieve these carbon and financial savings, bold decisions will have to be made about adopting new technology and new ways of operating.
“Sharpak Zero reusable sharps containers are proven to reduce carbon emissions yet, most importantly for busy nursing staff, they do not require any changes to existing sharps container disposal routes, making the implementation easy to manage.”
The containers are collected and emptied at Grundon’s facilities, weighed, and sent for high-temperature incineration. They are then sanitized, inspected, and returned to Inpress Precision for quality checks and redistribution. Each container, identifiable by a unique barcode, undergoes ten reuse cycles before being granulated and reprocessed into new containers, ensuring zero plastic waste.
A trial at Hammersmith Hospital in London, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, demonstrated the service’s efficacy, saving 1.26 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in eight weeks. Stratton expressed satisfaction with the trial outcomes, affirming the significant carbon and financial savings potential for NHS trusts.
The Sharpak Zero™ containers, equipped with a patented VisiLOCK closing mechanism to prevent contamination and needle-stick injuries, meet UN and ISO standards. They are available through Grundon and the NHS Supply Chain, paving the way for widespread adoption across NHS facilities, and marking a significant step towards sustainable healthcare waste management.
Main photo: Rob Lacey
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