London Trusts proud to describe their work

‘Waste not, Want not’ was the title of a recent IHEEM seminar which examined some of the key issues for those responsible for dealing with healthcare waste – from regulatory compliance and correct segregation of waste streams, to the opportunities for more on-site processing. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, reports on the joint presentations given by key environmental and sustainability personnel at two of London’s largest NHS Trusts, and their private sector waste management partners. These discussed some of the key initiatives that each Trust and its ‘partner’ have taken to not only significantly reduce the amount of waste generated on their estate, but also to dispose of it in an environmentally responsible way. These initiatives, the speakers explained, were all part of their organisations’ journey on the road to achieving ‘Deep Green’, a ‘nirvana’-like state where their activities have a zero net impact on the environment. 

The seminar, which was held  at Guy’s Hospital in London on 10 September, opened with a brief welcome by IHEEM’s CEO, Julian Amey, who explained that he had been talking beforehand to one of the first two speakers, Alexandra Hammond, associate director, Sustainability, at Essentia, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. She had mentioned that the Trust currently had Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors on site, who were looking at a wide range of activities, including the Trust’s waste management – making the seminar particularly timely. 

Before the presentations began, Julian Amey thanked the day’s sponsors – Skanska, Warp It, DDC Dolphin, and Avensys, for their support, and expressed his gratitude to Guy’s and St Thomas’ for hosting the event. He then introduced the first speaker, Alexandra Hammond, who explained that she would be co-presenting with Edward van Reenen, contract sustainability manager at recycling and resource management specialist, Bywaters, which has partnered the Trust since April 2014 as its waste management contractor. She began: “We are one of the UK’s largest NHS Trusts; we operate some of the oldest and most prestigious teaching hospitals in the UK, and provide a huge range of services, as well as community health services throughout south London, so we have a lot of potential impact when it comes to waste.” .