Published by Viridor, Viridor House, Priory Bridge Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1AP. www.viridor.co.uk Background Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH) NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest of 152 NHS Foundation Trusts in the United Kingdom. With over 16,000 staff and 1 million patients cared for each year, it has five hospitals and additional satellite sites across Sheffield. STH strives to ‘spend public money wisely’; a key objective noted within the requirements of the tender that Viridor successfully bid for in 2015. Viridor collects and treats over 2,500 tonnes of waste and recycling from STH each year. Problems Although STH had made considerable improvements in reducing waste to landfill in previous years, they were not recycling as much as they would have liked. The organisation required an overall rethink of their waste management requirements. During the implementation phase of the new service getting staff and visitors to recycle more was relatively easy but maintaining the quality of the recycled material required a “quality not quantity” message. Helping Sheffield Hospitals ‘spend public money wisely’ What services do we provide? General waste Mixed recycling Single stream recycling (cardboard, metals, batteries) WEEE recycling as required Hazardous waste as required Skips for larger items e.g. furniture and mattresses Healthcare case study Highlights: Viridor is taking the Trust’s waste management challenges in its stride. A mutual respect has developed between the Trust’s waste management team and the Viridor team servicing the contract. Viridor previously subcontracted services to STH. Now as a direct supplier, it means that the process is in a much better place to understand and react to the Trust’s needs. Viridor puts the customer first. They provide excellent contingency arrangements and managers are available out of hours to ensure that these contingencies are activated in a timely manner. Doubled recycling levels Reduced costs to NHS Excellent relationship between contractor and customer Approved NHS supplier Solutions Identify recycling and recovery opportunities: When Viridor started working with STH they carried out an audit to identify improvements that would enhance the hospital’s environmental credentials and save unnecessary costs; • STH’s general waste is collected and bulked up at a local facility and transported for energy recovery at Viridor’s own facility in Runcorn, diverting the waste away from landfill or unsustainable export. • Recycling has more than doubled. Over 900 tonnes of material is now recycled every year. Mixed recycling, green waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are collected and sorted for reprocessing at Viridor’s local facility. • Cardboard is segregated for recycling on-site generating a revenue rather than a cost. • The number of compactors used at STH has been increased to minimise vehicle movements on site and associated transport costs.