PVC recycling programme – collaboration with industry

Setting/Patient Group: Dialysis, Emergency Department and Theatres

Issue to be addressed:

Healthcare is a major contributor to demand for virgin single-use plastic.

A successful model for PVC (polyvinylchloride) recycling was established in Australia in collaboration with Baxter Healthcare. The aim was to run a 6 month pilot of this scheme in New Zealand.

Intervention:

1. 1. Key stakeholders were engaged to develop and roll out a pilot scheme including representative from management, clinical, waste, procurement, infection control and pharmacy.
2. 2. Education packages and posters were used to raise awareness of the scheme. Oxygen tubing, oxygen masks, PVC fluid bags and nasal prongs were to be recycled.
3. 3. Recycling bins were used in Dialysis, Emergency Departments and Theatre
4. 4. Baxter Healthcare subsidised cost of transporting PVC to recycling centre.

Outcome:

Social

• Empowered staff in a successful change management project

Environmental

• Diversion of inappropriate waste from landfill and incineration

Economic

• Minimal savings from diversion of PVC due to minimum levy on sending general waste to landfill.
• Cost of recycling negligible (subsidised by Baxter Healthcare and using existing pathways).

Key learning point

The use of a pilot has enabled further expansion of this scheme to further departments in the hospital and has sparked change for the working group to look into waste more generally within the hospital, demonstrating spread of a change idea.