Step by step towards sustainable hospitals and labs

The climate ambitions transcend all sectors in the economy, including healthcare. Can hospitals and laboratories also take major steps towards a greener future? FHI spoke with Mariska van Soest, from the Laboratory, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics division of the UMC. They are busy working on sustainability there and Van Soest provides insight into the steps that still need to be taken.

By: Dimitri Reijerman

Van Soest is a KAM officer at the University Medical Center Utrecht. She is active every day within the hospital to put sustainability on the map and to take concrete steps in this area. Van Soest: “We have drawn up an objective plan within the UMC. And we have also set up a network of sustainable healthcare professionals internally. They try to create bottom-up awareness to see whether there is a sustainable alternative for every choice we make within the UMC, for example for the purchase of materials or resources.”

The objectives have been clearly set out, she says: “We have concrete objectives: 49 percent CO2 reduction in 2030 and 95 percent reduction in 2050. We also want to try to source approximately 50 percent fewer primary raw materials in 2030 and completely by 2050. to be circular.”

Steps forward

The first steps were taken several years ago, says Van Soest: “We have started since 2018, for example with source separation in the hospital. Because a lot is consumed within healthcare, so you can significantly reduce your footprint in this way. For example, by reducing the amount of paper and investing heavily in digitization.”

There are even more sustainability plans at the UMC: “We are working on energy savings and have solar panels on the roof. We will also be renovating soon. The UMC is looking at how this can be done as sustainably as possible. If lighting needs to be replaced, we immediately install LED lighting. But it could also be a timer on some equipment, for example.”

Greener labs

Concrete measures have also been taken within the UMC laboratories, says Van Soest: “We have started separate collection for disposables. Now we have also started in the laboratories. A lot of plastic packaging material is thrown away there. We already collect 85 percent pure plastic waste.”

She continues: “We also have a lot of specific hospital waste within our labs. This normally comes in tons and then goes into the incinerator. But now we have a device, a so-called sterilwave, with which microwaves sterilize the waste. And to such an extent that it can be disposed of as normal waste. This reduces the volume and we can achieve a reduction of up to 40 percent.”

Clear message

“My message is that you should especially start a conversation with people and that there are indeed sustainable choices to be made in healthcare. If something doesn't work out, you must continue to convey that choices are possible. For example, we are now looking at whether we can deliver cool packs back to the supplier.”

“In the lab world, many people hide behind the need to obtain ISO certificates, we must achieve quality. That wouldn't be possible with recycling. I want to take on that challenge with them, because there is also room for sustainability within the ISO standards.”

Despite the progress within the UMC, the pandemic has made things more difficult, Van Soest admits: “The corona crisis has taken us a step back. A lot of disposables have been used in Covid care. It will be a huge task to reduce that amount towards 2030. We therefore want to enter into dialogue with manufacturers to see whether less plastic can be used, for example by making packaging smaller. Our buyers are already starting to work on this.”