CTM first Health Board in the UK to be recycling non-hazardous plastic products with TerraCycle®
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTM UHB) are delighted to be the first Health Board in the UK to be recycling our non-hazardous plastic products/packaging with TerraCycle® via their Zero Waste Box™ solution’ and Roche Healthcare.
The pilot which started in September aims to work with Roche and TerraCycle to identify a more sustainable way to recycle non-hazardous plastic items from the biochemistry laboratory at Prince Charles Hospital and prepare them for transport, where they can then be repurposed in to something new, supporting ‘Zero Waste Wales’ and lessening the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.
Historically the plastic waste from the Biochemistry Service in CTMUHB would have been sent to be incinerated via a contracted clinical waste contractor, this currently comes at a cost per tonnage. Recycling the items is financially more effective and more sustainable, and will hopefully save the NHS money in the future.
The pilot will run for six months, and if successful the Health Board will continue with this new way of recycling as well a look to extend the pilot to include other service areas and sites.
Craig Edwards, environment waste and fleet manager for health board said: “This is another first for CTMUHB and I am delighted to lead the organisations ambition to reduce and repurpose its waste across all sites.
“This free of charge pilot trial is running at the Prince Charles Hospital Pathology Department for a period of six months, and the management and staff involved are very much committed to supporting the health board in reducing its departmental waste.
“I hope that we can repurpose these items in to something new that can be used and displayed within the department to showcase what can be achieved with the right levels of support, enthusiasm and freedom to act.
Mark Henry, Biochemisty, PoCT and Immunology Service Manager said: “We are delighted that our clinical biochemistry service at Prince Charles Hospital are the first laboratory in the UK to recycle their healthcare plastic waste with Roche and TerraCycle.
“Our biomedical scientists and laboratory assistants have changed practice and are committed to our sustainability strategic goals. We will make every effort to support the six month pilot and are proud to contribute to this climate related innovation project.”
Simon Moore, account manager at Roche Diagnostics Limited said: “Sustainability is integral to Roche’s corporate vision, values, operating standards and guidelines. We have been committed to mitigating environmental impact and climate change for many years, proactively seeking new, more sustainable technologies to achieve this goal.
“We are delighted to carry out this pilot with the Prince Charles Hospital pathology department to help us to minimise the health, safety and environmental impacts of a product. This pilot with TerraCycle to implement a customer packaging take-back program will help us to reduce the impact of our waste.”
05/10/2023