Reducing the NHS’s impact on the environment

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and COVID-19 proved to be a driver for innovative research into the decontamination of medical equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE). My previous role was the head of the PPE Reuse, Innovation and Sustainability team, at the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Supply Chain, during the pandemic, and we were tasked with testing and exploring potential for reprocessing of PPE. This was prompted by concerns over shortages, but was also against a backdrop of increasing awareness of the impact on the environment, caused by the huge amounts of waste from PPE, and waste due to out of date PPE.

When the government funding for the Reuse, Innovation and Sustainability project came to an end, as the country came out of lockdown and returned to some normality, I sought to continue the work - while shortages of disposable PPE were no longer an issue, the environmental problem caused by its use had not gone away. PPE and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) have multiplied in demand in healthcare applications ever since the pandemic emerged in March 2020. In fact, it is estimated that NHS and social care segments spent roughly £500 million on disposable RPE in 2020. Disposable RPE creates a major environmental challenge, with each item containing significant amounts of single-use and non-recyclable plastic materials.

Each disposable mask - regardless of whether it is tight fitting or loose fitting - has to be discarded as infectious waste requiring incineration. Until now, the healthcare industry has lacked practical processes to effectively decontaminate items in between use. While disposable masks have a significant negative impact on the environment, ensuring the safest possible standards for patients remains the priority for health staff. And so it should.