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The Wesley Hospital
One of Australia’s iconic and largest private not-for-profit hospitals
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At The Wesley Hospital, our sustainability vision is to help shape a future that is green, healthy, just and resilient by using every opportunity to reduce our environmental impact through continuous improvements, workforce empowerment and advocacy. In particular, we are proud of the progress and positive impact we have made through recycling and minimising waste.
We recognise that reducing our carbon footprint and being more resource-efficient – using less energy and water and producing less waste and emissions – are essential to promoting healthy and sustainable environments for our patients and communities.
Our environmental sustainability achievements
In the past three years, The Wesley Hospital has:
- Upgraded 1,666 lightbulbs to energy-efficient LEDs, reducing our footprint by 590,000 kWh and 473 tonnes of CO2e per year. This is equivalent to 130 households’ annual electricity use!
- Continued to expand our recycling program by introducing specialised recycling initiatives, such as PVC (IV bags, tubing and oxygen masks), Kimguard (sterile wrap), copper (diathermy cables and surgical devices), aluminium (anaesthetic gas bottles), compression garments, e-waste, and batteries.
- Prevented 480,000 plastic straws going to landfill each year by switching to paper straws and reducing overall usage.
- Eliminated 3.3 tonnes of single-use plastic a year, by replacing single-use sharps containers with a reusable SharpSmart system.
- Donated more than 500kg of medical supplies no longer fit for human use (and otherwise destined for landfill) to the Animal Welfare League.
- Partnered with OzHarvest to donate 250kg of fresh fruit and cereals each month to local school breakfast programs.
- Partnered with Lifeline to rehome 850kg of curtains and 1,100 paper towel dispensers through Lifeline shops, which raise funds for the 13 11 14 Crisis Support Line to support Queenslanders in crisis.
- Collected thousands of plastic bottle tops (which aren’t easily recovered through normal mixed-recycling processes) for Lids4Kids, an innovative program that uses these plastic lids to 3D-print prosthetic limbs for children in developing countries. On average we capture 8kg of plastic lids per month.
- Established an internal monthly waste audit program to identify wards and areas within the hospital where there may be missed recycling opportunities or contamination issues. These audit reports support targeted communication and training efforts to reduce issues and promote recycling in these areas.
- Introduced a discount at our Gown & Glove restaurant to incentivise staff to BYO reusable keep cups.
- Switched to compostable bagasse (sugarcane-based) containers and cutlery made from FSC™ certified birchwood for takeaways at our Gown & Glove Restaurant, to avoid single-use plastics.
- Established a network of Waste Warriors among our hospital staff who meet quarterly to share knowledge, focus on education and innovation, and develop systems to improve recycling in their wards and work areas.
Proudly part of UnitingCare
The Wesley Hospital is proudly part of UnitingCare, whose Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 outlines six focus areas, which support the vision to create a healthier, fairer, and greener world.