Achieving the circular economy in Victorian hospitals
OVERVIEW
Under the Victorian Waste Education Strategy, the public health sector was an identified priority sector.
SV and Dept of Health recognised the value in working with hospital staff to identify and address barriers to the recovery of priority waste streams and improve waste avoidance.
Urban EP was engaged to conduct an in depth analysis of barriers and recommend solutions to enable Victorian hospitals to achieve greater resource efficiency.
KEY INFO
| Location: | Victoria |
| Stakeholders: |
Sustainability Victoria Department of Health |
| Solutions: | Scope of priorities to address waste in public health services |
THE BRIEF
Sustainability Victoria and Dept of Health engaged Urban EP to complete a detailed study into the drivers, challenges and opportunities surrounding the generation and disposal of all forms of solid waste in the public health service, including general wastes, recycling, organics and clinical wastes. Sources to investigate included hospital departments, public spaces, tenant businesses and so on.
Urban EP was requested to:
Conduct site visits and hold interviews across a cross section of hospital staff across six regional and metropolitan health services including nursing, medical specialists, engineering, procurement, support staff and executive sections of the workforce
Conduct a survey from across the Victorian health services, to understand challenges and streams and hospital locations that were deemed essential to drive the circular economy in a hospital setting
Review Environmental Data Management System (EDMS) and waste audit data to prioritise waste streams according to the environmental and cost impacts on the health service, and put forward a shortlist of streams for inclusion in a whole of sector behaviour change program.
THE RESULTS
Urban EP delivered:
A detailed report setting out the major sources and types of waste generated in Victorian hospitals, their impacts, and factors influencing their generation and recovery.
Successful engagement with a cross section of health services staff, enabling key insights into the importance of infection control, using limited space efficiently, and maintaining streamlined workflows in a healthcare setting while aiming to reduce the impacts of clinical and general waste in multiple targeted areas.
Recommended scope of work and priorities for a two year behaviour change program to be delivered by SV and Department of Health across the Victorian health service.
Program evaluation to review performance and achievement of objectives on completion of the behaviour change program, including assessment of program impacts across the health service.