As the use of environmentally harmful single-use items (SUI) in healthcare continues to increase[1], Bupa has partnered with Health Care Without Harm, to launch a global report outlining key principles for reducing reliance on single-use items in healthcare, while ensuring the highest levels of patient care are maintained.

The report, which draws on clinical experience in Australia and around the world, provides practical, actionable steps to make Healthcare more sustainable whilst highlighting the need for further research into the health and environmental impacts of single-use materials. Today, healthcare generates 4.4% of global emissions and creates millions of tonnes of waste per year[2] with a great proportion of that waste coming from SUIs[3].

Roger Sharp, Bupa Asia Pacific, Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer said climate change is a major threat to human health, and we can’t escape the fact that the healthcare sector is part of this problem.

“There is an urgent need to tackle the waste that the healthcare industry generates – particularly that from single-use items - and this report aims to increase visibility of the issue, spotlight organisations making positive progress, and showcase solutions that are currently available.

“While we know we don’t have all the answers, this report is a testament to Bupa’s continued commitment to work collaboratively with other organisations to drive positive change. Together with Health Care Without Harm and other partners, we are fast-tracking a shift toward sustainable healthcare across our operations, reducing the environmental impact of the care we provide, and encouraging others to join us on this essential mission,” Roger said.

In recent times this has included switching plastic medicine pots to a stainless-steel alternatives in our New Zealand Aged Care homes and partnering with eco-Disruptive start-up, Cassava Bags to utilise their 100 per cent biodegradable cassava root material products such as headrests and tray sleeves in Bupa’s Australian dental practices.

Gary Cohen, President and Co-founder of Health Care Without Harm, said working together with Bupa, we remain committed to educate the healthcare sector about the overuse of single-use items, especially plastics, and provide leadership for why reduction is both possible and financially efficient around the world.

“The report is a first step in this essential process to help healthcare come into greater alignment with its ethical mission to first, do no harm,” Gary said.

For healthcare providers, some of the key recommendations include reviewing organisational waste policies, processes, and infrastructure, auditing suppliers and partnering for sustainable innovation

The report also outlines the benefits of commissioning research and sharing insights, such the work Monash Sustainable Development Institute is undertaking through the Transitions to Sustainable Health Systems consortium, of which Bupa is a member, to identify priorities and practical actions

to accelerate emissions reduction in the Australian health system. Bupa UK has also recently announced a partnership with the University of Manchester to develop new methods and strategies to reduce the healthcare sector’s environmental impact.

Please see here for a link to the Single Use-Items report

Please see here for further information on Bupa APAC’s sustainability initiatives

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