23 advertising feature at the sharps end
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O the general public they are needles, syringes, scissors and scalpels but to the medical profession the used items are known as “sharps”. Once used their disposal is a major problem as carelessness can lead to the spread of disease or injury. It’s important to keep the “sharps” separate from other waste and to this end, hospitals, clinics, dentists’ and doctors’ surgeries use what is unimaginatively called a “sharps bin” which is picked up by a waste management company and destroyed. These containers are routinely destroyed after a single use which costs the NHS £70m across the UK every year. In Scotland, 20,000 sharps containers are disposed of each week. The whole bin becomes waste even if it contains only one needle but it was thought that this system was safer than trying to recycle the containers. Several years ago, Garry Pettigrew, MD of Healthcare Environmental Group (HEG), decided there had to be a better way and set about developing a less wasteful and safer system. As a result, HEG became the first company in the UK to develop a reusable sharps container. Bringing the product from design to production was a complicated, lengthy process because of the number of health and safety regulations that had to be passed but HEG finally succeeded in developing a bin that can be used, emptied and taken back to be re-used. “The NHS has got bins of ours that have been out 500 times and still look as good as they did at the beginning,” said Garry. “They are going back into the chain every
day and it is a saving for them and for us because we don’t have to dispose of them. We are the only UK company to develop this and it has become a big part of our business.” The bins are produced by Healthcare Sharp Systems Ltd which is part of the Healthcare Group of companies. Suitable for all sectors within the healthcare industry, the family of containers ranges in size from two litres to 22 litres. Benefits to users include a reduction in revenue costs by as much as 50%; reductions in warehouse and transports costs; and a reduction in staff needle injuries as the units are supplied fully assembled. All units supplied by Healthcare Sharp Systems Ltd are fully traceable as each bin is fitted with a computer chip and has a unique temporary closure method integrated into the carrying handle. The units are also fully compliant with infection control standards. All are washed in line with the cleaning standard HTM 20/30 which is the recognised standard approved by infection control departments throughout the country. They are handled by trained staff throughout the collection and wash process and the computer chip fitted into each container enables waste to be tracked from each department through to final disposal. The vehicles and transport methods for Healthcare Sharps are compliant with environmental legislation with specialised vehicles and transport pods for storing and transporting containers throughout the collection process. The bins are secured and can be provided with wall and trolley brackets.
thursday september 4, 2014
advertising feature 23
thursday september 4, 2014
Clean bill of health for new waste disposal HQ
ladies’ and gentlemen’s
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and technology, Healthcare Environmental can turn waste from the NHS into a renewable source of energy. Not only will this plant support employment in Shotts and the surrounding area, it will contribute towards the greening of the Scottish economy and our ambitious carbon reduction targets, enshrined in Scotland’s climate change legislation.”
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A state-of-the-art facility and generator will provide green power to a raft of industries and reduce costs to the NHS, writes Nan Spowart
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NEW £10 million Eco Park in Lanarkshire is the first of its kind in the UK and represents a major change in how medical waste is treated. While efforts have been made to recycle over the last few years it is only now that the full potential of medical waste is being recognised. Waste, not fit for recycling has to be disposed of but instead of sending it to landfill it can be used as an energy source. At the forefront of this green energy movement is Lanarkshire-based Healthcare Environmental Group (HEG) which has just opened the new Hassockrigg Eco Park dedicated to energy recovery and recycling. The purpose-built facility has been five years in the planning and brings together the latest advancements in energy recovery. The plant can process 35,000 tonnes of waste each year. Founded over 20 years ago by Group MD Garry Pettigrew, Healthcare Environmental
Group is now the largest independent full facilities waste management solutions company in the UK. This is a family business with Alison Pettigrew, financial director, and Steven Pettigrew, operations manager, who form part of the senior management team alongside a dedicated 260-strong UK workforce. With nine regional sites across the country, the group covers the whole of the UK and specialises in all environmental sectors including clinical waste, hazardous chemical waste, medical waste, sharps waste, solid waste and recycling solutions. The company operates a fleet of more than 120 modern, fuel-efficient vehicles. HEG’s network of waste transfer stations and treatment facilities has a combined permitted annual capacity for the treatment of more than 155,000 tonnes of medical waste. The company provides waste services to clients including NHS Trusts, private healthcare providers, local authorities, police services, research organisations and the education sector all over
the country. The company services more than 35,000 locations each month throughout the UK. This includes all of Scotland’s NHS Trust clinical waste streams and as well as the Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Waste Consortium contract (YCWC) which includes all clinical waste requirements for a consortium of more than 20 NHS Trusts in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The YCWC contract involves the collection, treatment and disposal of over 10,000 tonnes of medical waste each year and a collection from more than 1000 sites. The company won this con-
A lot of planning goes into something like this but we are proud of what we have achieved
tract in 2011 and it remains the largest medical waste contract change to have taken place in NHS England. Combined with the NHS Scotland contract, which is the largest contract awarded within the UK, this has galvanized the group’s success in growing the business. With so much waste being handled by HEG, the company began to look at more modern and greener disposal solutions around five years ago and started planning the Eco Park at Shotts which now houses the headquarters of the group. “We identified the potential of waste as a resource a number of years ago but it has been a long, laborious journey to get here, with no help from the government, or regulatory bodies and no funding from the enterprise agencies,” admitted Garry. “This facility has been devel-
oped and built by the success of the business, our bank HSBC, our workforce and staff and our dedicated customers. A lot of planning goes into something like this but we are very proud of what we have achieved and the fact that we are at the forefront of the industry, makes our success even more rewarding. “The new HQ is on a purposebuilt 37-acre industrial eco park and represents our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring that our customers benefit from a dedicated site to reduce waste and recover energy.” The new facility will generate over two megawatts of power every hour. This green energy will be used on-site and will ensure that the site is almost selfsufficient. The plant will also produce clean energy for electricity that can be returned to the
VISION: HEG Group MD Garry Pettigrew has been committed to waste as source of energy for years. national grid and used by other industries. Dedicated to energy recovery and recycling, the new facility meets the Scottish Government’s commitment to zero waste and ensures the facility is a long-term viable option for dealing with all of Scotland’s medical waste safely and efficiently. The largest private medical waste company within the UK, HEG
deals exclusively with all of NHS Scotland’s acute and community hospitals and collects from every hospital, GP surgery, dentists and pharmacy within Scotland. The new plant means that all of Scotland’s medical waste is treated locally, at HEG’s four regional sites within Scotland. Shotts is now home to a facility that can recover energy from a previously non-recoverable source and ensures that the company is not reliant on sending waste to southern England to be treated, as happened in the past. More than 120 local staff relocated from the existing plant in Shotts and an additional 30 posts will be created to continue the company’s growth plans. “This latest investment means we retain our commitment to invest in the local economy and
ensures that we can compete in the UK market,” said Garry. The site has been welcomed by politicians from all parties. Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael said: “This investment and creation of new jobs is good news for Scotland’s economy. It is a big vote of confidence for the skills of the workforce in Lanarkshire and I am sure this new Eco Park will play a valuable role in ensuring Scotland is at the centre of the UK’s low carbon economy. It also underlines Scotland’s role as a world leader in harnessing the potential of green energy.” Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, said: “This announcement brings with it new jobs, new investment and new opportunities for the people of Lanarkshire. With their skills
LEX Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, said: “I am delighted that so many jobs are being safeguarded and created in the Shotts area, one of the areas in Scotland with high levels of unemployment. This facility will service the National Health Service in Scotland and avoid the environmental damage that is done by currently having to transport some waste to England for processing. The availability of development opportunities for other industries is very welcome and I hope many other new jobs will be attracted to this area as a result.” While the NHS Trusts are high volume, multi-site waste producers, HEG can offer flexible, tailored waste management and recycling solutions to businesses of all sizes. Other clients include high street chains, local authorities, Police Scotland and research and development companies. “Our focus is on delivering the right solution and doing whatever it takes to ensure the best
Our focus is on doing whatever it takes to ensure the service is provided on time and on budget
service is provided on time and on budget,” said Garry. The company holds all the appropriate authorisations for difficult waste streams including animal by-products, wastes containing genetically modified micro-organisms (GMOs) and low-level radioactive wastes. HEG manages a broad range of hazardous wastes for clients, including services for solid and liquid chemical wastes, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) wastes. The company holds Investor in People status to ensure services are delivered effectively and in compliance with all health and safety requirements. A series of supremely efficient processing plants is always open for business, providing a 24/7 service. Operations meet standards that are far higher than current legal regulations require, and as members of CIWM, FTA and SMDSA, the company is quality and environmentally assured to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. A unique RFID system allows the tracking of waste movements throughout the lifetime of each collection. The company’s UNapproved containers are fitted with radio data frequency computer chips for full traceability, offering reassurance. “We even track ourselves, with GPRS positioning equipment allowing Healthcare Environmental Group’s customer services team to ensure collections are being undertaken on schedule,” said Garry. “These steps are all designed to reassure clients that their waste is being safely handled and disposed of, and a fully integrated contact management software system allows staff throughout the company to track enquiries or changes to service levels in real time. We offer a complete waste management package.”
MPECCABLE hygiene is essential in all washroom environments whether they belong to a business, school, hospital or restaurant. HealthcareWashroom Services Ltd is a part of Healthcare Environmental Group and provides a full array of premium waste and washroom services including a high calibre of goods delivered on a 24/7 basis throughout the UK. Drawing on over two decades of industry expertise, the nationwide washroom and waste management services are offered to clients of all sizes, ensuring full compliance with health and safety standards and appropriate design for each facility’s unique environment. The experienced staff have been trained to the highest standards and deliver tailored management of washrooms in all types of professional and healthcare establishments. In Scotland the company provides all of the local authorities with a dedicated service for all their washroom requirements and was responsible for ensuring that all the venues at the recent Commonwealth Games received a dedicated washroom service for all locations on a 24/7 basis, which was rewarded by a secure vendor status. “From cleaning companies to hospitals, surgeries and shopping centres, Healthcare Washroom has become the recognised leader in this sensitive and specialised industry, and can even offer
tailored advice about legislative updates as part of our standard service,” said Garry. “Washroom services can be tailored to meet the needs of each client’s individual business operations. We are the first company to provide a tracking service for all our multi-service locations using RFID tracking technology allowing our customers to track all aspects of our service from a web-based system. We monitor service frequency to assess each site’s requirements and agree timing of service visits on a 24/7 basis from Orkney in the north to Cornwall in the south. Our dedication to service remains at the forefront of this important industry, another one of the vital services delivered within the HEG group of companies.” Healthcare Washroom provides the full range of products – installed and monitored by Healthcare Washroom technicians – to keep washrooms cleaner, reduce the spread of germs through manual contact and contribute to a pleasant washroom experience for staff and the general public. Services include the supply of: soap dispensers; auto sanitisers; air-freshening fragrance units; hand dryers; vending machines dispensing sanitary, contraceptive and nappy products; feminine hygiene sanitary bins; paper products; baby changing units; hand towels and dustmats; water management units; nappy bins; air freshener sensaire units and mats.
safe HANDS: Impeccable hygiene is essential in all environments.