Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 18 May 2024 at 13:18
Recycle Week runs from 17-23 October and is Recycle Now’s flagship annual event which is a celebration of recycling across the nation. Retailers, brands, waste management companies, trade associations, governments and the media come together to achieve one goal: to galvanise the public into recycling more of the right things, more often.
Last year’s campaign was the most successful to date – with over 29 million digital impressions, and 82% of people saying they had changed their behaviour because of seeing Recycle Week 2021 content. This year’s theme is ‘Let’s Get Real’ and will challenge perceptions and myths around recycling, and target contamination to improve recycling behaviours.
Recycling at EEAST
Across the Trust, the Estates team have been installing recycling bins in kitchens and shared spaces, to make recycling easier for everyone. This has been well received and since April 2022 EEAST have successfully recycled 28% of our total waste, saving the Trust approximately £5,000 in disposal costs and reducing our carbon emissions. In the coming months it would be great to see this percentage increase further, if we all take some simple steps to reduce contamination. A common mistake we are seeing is food waste being placed into recycling bins. Unfortunately, this means that the contents of the whole bin must go for incineration in the general waste stream.
By taking care to segregate our waste at the source we can maximise our recycling programme, which not only saves the Trust money but supports our carbon net zero target. For more information on how the Trust’s waste provider processes our recycling, please visit the Veolia website https://www.veolia.co.uk/services/commercial-dry-mixed-recycling.
Celebrating success.
By analysing the data provided by our waste contractor, we have been able to identify the stations which are segregating and recycling the highest percentage of their total waste. A huge thank you from the Sustainability team to the staff working out of these stations, you are setting a great example for the rest of the Trust!
From April to September 2022, the following stations successfully recycled more than 50% of their waste:
Get involved - Walking aids amnesty
During Recycle Week, all NHS Trusts are being asked to boost walking aid return and reuse schemes. Walking aids, such as walking sticks, frames, rollators and crutches, are durable products which can be safely refurbished and reused repeatedly. Boosting return and reuse will help improve access for patients, reduce carbon emissions and save money. For example, over the next 3 years the NHS could reduce its carbon emissions by 7,400 tonnes, equivalent to 281,397 car trips from London to Bristol.
How can I help? Encourage patients to return walking aids that they no longer need to their local hospital or drop-off location. Walking aids will be cleaned and refurbished for use by future patients. Any walking aids that cannot be reused can then be recycled, which can provide hospitals with income from the scrap metal. Drop off locations for walking aids can be found here: https://www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/walking-aids
It can be done. Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust achieved a 40% return rate at its pilot site and expanded to a second hospital. Around 3,000 items worth £27,000 are reused each year, plus the Trust generates income from scrap metal from damaged items.
Get involved - Green Champions
Today, our Green Champions got together to clean up Hospital Lane outside our Hellesdon site. We were really grateful for all the help and were able to carry out a short survey of the waste and recycling we found. All waste and recycling was segregated and disposed of correctly.
If you'd like to do your bit, then why not become a Green Champion? Just email us at: sustainability@eastamb.nhs.uk
Thank You,
The Sustainability team.
#RecycleWeek