More than a tonne of hospital waste has been saved from landfill thanks to a clever repurposing partnership with Logan Hospital.
A new partnership with local organisation Substation33 has also boosted the hospital’s green habits, with new bins dispersed across the campus to encourage recycling.
Recycling champion and the hospital’s assistant manager of environmental services, Dean Reynolds, has been at the forefront of the hospital’s eco-friendly practices since 2021.
Mr Reynolds said through a partnership with recycling company Close the Loop, over one tonne of empty hospital cartridges had been diverted from landfill and repurposed.
“Close the Loop melts down our empty cartridges and adds them to bitumen to create a more robust and sustainable product,” he said.
“This initiative not only keeps significant waste out of landfills but also supports the creation of sustainable infrastructure.”
Mr Reynolds also launched a single-use hover mat repurposing initiative in 2021, which has given new life to over five tonnes of hover mats that would otherwise be discarded.
These mats, essential in transferring patients within the hospital, are now donated to organisations supporting third-world countries and local groups aiding injured wildlife.
The hospital has also spread Containers for Change bins across the campus with the hope of reducing waste and generating funds to feed back into the hospital.
Mr Reynolds said he was excited about the impact of the initiative, which could be felt as far afield as Papua New Guinea.
“Substation33 repurposes our e-waste in innovative ways, including creating hearing aids to help people in PNG,” he said.
“The program also supports disadvantaged and long-term unemployed individuals, helping them gain confidence, social connection, and valuable skills.
“I was fortunate enough to see a young man making a hearing aid on a recent visit and was just blown away by his ability to create such an intricate piece of medical equipment.”
