Shepparton Private Hospital reaches target to save single-use plastics from landfill

By Shepparton News

Feb 6, 2023

Milestone reached: Shepparton Private Hospital has helped save almost 310,000 single-use plastics from landfill. Photo by Megan Fisher

Shepparton Private Hospital has contributed almost 310,000 items of single-use plastic to Ramsay Health Care’s total of 50 million items that have been saved from landfill.

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After swapping out 25 million single-use plastics for more environmentally friendly options from 2021-22, the private hospital operator committed to doubling that number by the end of 2022.

Hospital chief executive Rhys Jones said he was thrilled his team could help make a vital contribution to the milestone.

“We’re committed to making tangible changes to improve the future of the planet,” Mr Jones said.

“We started with the most obvious items — switching cutlery, crockery and straws from plastic to reusable or recyclable alternatives. We’ve now replaced many more items around the hospital, including in operating theatres, with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

“While individually each item we swap out is a small change, together they make a big difference.”

The removal of single-use plastic items is part of the organisation’s ‘Ramsay Cares’ sustainability initiative.

Sixteen Ramsay Australia hospitals, including Shepparton Private, are working to create ‘greener operating theatres’ by removing the anaesthetic gas desflurane, reported to have more than 20 times the global warming potential of alternative gases, and instead opting for more environmentally friendly options.

In 2022, Ramsay Health Care announced its global commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its organisation by the year 2040.