Sustainable switches

HSS is committed to transforming our workplace into a greener and more sustainable place. The healthcare sector has always struggled with high waste and high carbon emissions, so we are on a mission to implement eco-friendly alternatives at every corner.  

Over the past year, HSS has made some big changes to our operations, like reducing plastic waste, supporting local sustainability, and switching to green power.

In recognition of our sustainability efforts, we have also just been nominated as a finalist in this year's WA Health Excellence Awards which is a huge achievement.

Here are some of the steps we have taken so far:  

Reducing plastic waste 

One of our primary focuses has been to cut down on plastic usage, and we've made significant strides in this area: 

• Pallet Wraps: We have switched to a pallet wrap that’s 25% thinner and has more ‘stretch’. Thinner material means we’re using 24.4% less plastic per pallet wrapped, saving 2,500kg of plastic annually.
• Biodegradable Medical Supplies: We are transitioning from plastic to biodegradable materials for medical cups and kidney dishes. With around half a million kidney dishes and 7 million medicine cups used annually in Perth public hospitals, this shift will have a significant positive environmental impact. The transition will take about a year as we use up existing stock to avoid wastage. 
• Biodegradable Examination Gloves: HSS has added biodegradable examination gloves into our existing contract arrangements. These gloves achieve a 67.1% biodegradation rate in 686 days.  
• Reduction in PPE Orders: By cancelling orders for 4.3 million isolation gowns and 3 million N95 masks, we have avoided 3,140 pallets (equivalent to 2.5 Olympic swimming pools) of waste from being sent to landfill. 
• Biodegradable Bags and Wipes: We have expanded our sustainable product range to include biodegradable medication, biohazard bin and patient bags, as well as biodegradable patient and disinfectant wipes. 
• Eco-friendly Tray Liners: We have introduced biodegradable tray liners to further reduce our environmental footprint. 

These plastic reduction initiatives have also resulted in significant cost savings for the WA Health system.  

Supporting local sustainability 

Many local companies are upping their sustainability game, and HSS is committed to choosing suppliers that meet high sustainability standards. Our recent initiatives include: 

• Local Pulp Products: We have awarded a contract to a local supplier for pulp products, such as male urinals and 3L bowls made from raw materials including tissues, toilet paper, newspaper, and cardboard. 
• Biodegradable Aprons: We have transitioned to biodegradable and compostable aprons, sourced from two WA-based companies. These aprons are a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic ones.

Sustainable disposal of equipment

Healthcare generates a large amount of waste, including expired or obsolete equipment that can no longer be used. Ensuring these items are disposed of sustainably is crucial. 

• Contract for sustainable disposal: Unused and expired medical equipment that can no longer be used must be disposed of in a sustainable manner. In May 2024, HSS secured a contract with a waste to energy provider for the sustainable disposal of expired and unused medical consumables, helping to prevent landfill overflow. 
• ICT recycling and disposal: Recycling obsolete devices never used to be an option as hard drives were required to be removed and destroyed to meet data security requirements. Thanks to negotiations between our Field Support Team and ICT recycling and disposal vendor, we can now use a secure data deletion process to keep devices intact and eligible for recycling or remarketing. Going green and keeping devices intact prevents approximately 250kg of CO2 entering the atmosphere for every device.   

Turning on Green Power 

Reducing our operational carbon footprint is also top priority for HSS. Recently, HSS took a significant step forward in our efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from our data centre use. 

• Malaga NextDC: In May 2024, HSS switched our largest data centre to 100 per cent green power, preventing around 480 tonnes of greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere each year - the equivalent of powering approximately 160 average WA homes annually.  
• On-Demand Green Power: Other HSS data centres are progressively moving towards zero emissions targets as part of their own transition plan in the years ahead.  

Recycling and donating through Containers for Change 

Containers for Change’ Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) has been implemented at two of our location with plans to extend the initiative at an additional location in the future. 

Money collected from the CDS will be donated to selected charities, changing quarterly. 

These initiatives are just a few examples of how HSS is leading the way in becoming a more sustainable workplace. 

By integrating these practices, we are not only reducing our environmental impact but also setting a standard for sustainability in the healthcare sector.