Disposable items are nonessential in a quarter of medical cases, according to a study by Radboud UMC. Therefore, the Nijmegen Hospital now wants to combat this waste production, because according to IC doctor Hugo Tau, it is important for the healthcare sector to start moving towards greening. “There is a call from all parties to use sustainability as a basis and not as an afterthought.”
27 kilos of waste
Isolation jackets, gauze pads, and disposable gloves: Medical procedures produce an entire mountain of waste. One heart operation involves 27 kilograms of waste. However, the hospital’s laundry room was gone. According to Touw, this is easier to outsource because you don’t have to organize the whole process and your shelves are always stocked. Now this trend is shifting. Healthcare is becoming increasingly aware of the consequences for the climate.
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The environmental impact of healthcare amounts to 7 per cent of the total in the Netherlands. When the nitrogen crisis is resolved, healthcare will be at the top of the list. We’ve committed ourselves to cutting CO2 emissions by 55 percent, but the actions we’re taking now are far from enough, so health care must also start moving.
CO2 neutral sector
With the introduction of sustainable measures, such as the use of washable jackets and biodegradable materials, carbon dioxide emissions can already be reduced significantly. This does not yet achieve the 2050 goal of designing a CO2 neutral healthcare sector. For this reason, according to Touw, alternatives such as prevention and proper care should be considered. We also need to check out innovations and treatments that actually work for patients. There are a lot of challenges out there and we won’t get to them once they are green.
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Radboud UMC has now introduced a socially responsible purchasing policy to reduce waste. Sustainability is included in this. A Green New Deal for Sustainable Care is also planned. Not all parties have signed on to this yet because, according to Touw, commitments to sustainability have not yet formed.
