ARJO COMPRESSION BANDAGE RECYCLING STREAM GOES LIVE
Our Procurement and Contract Management team was instrumental in identifying and diverting a specific surgical waste stream for compression bandages from landfill. The initiative was supported by HealthShare and the Corporate Services team. These sleeves, primarily used to arrest deep vein thrombosis(clots) in surgical patients, were previously disposed of as medical waste. Now, through the Arjo ReNU program, these sleeves are captured by our staff on level 6, 7, 8, PACU, SSSU and maternity. They are placed in green biodegradable bags located in the dirty utility rooms across surgical wards. They are then consolidated into the 240L Arjo
collection bins in the dock by HealthShare for retrieval twice a month.
In 2024, 14,000 Arjo anti-embolism leg compression sleeves were procured and disposed off by the district, with no reusable option available. This represents 2.84 tonnes of medical consumable plastic waste annually, with 1.8 tonnes (63%) coming just from the RNSH surgical wards (approximately 1.06 tonnes CO2e emissions). Following the implementation of the program in April 2025, 87% of the collected sleeves have been successfully cleaned and reprocessed (90% being the target rate) and sent back across the Arjo network as repurposed stock, noting these are not procured by RNSH. This project with its financial, waste and emissions outcomes will contribute to ongoing actions under the NSLHD Planetary Health Framework 2024-2027. It is a positive step forward in our sustainability journey – demonstrating how small changes in the clinical world can have impactful environmental benefits.
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