Giving PVC a second life

4 Sep 2018

4 September 2018

The PVC is collected from IV bags, oxygen masks and tubing, and then made into items such as children’s playground surfaces, and garden and fire extinguisher hoses.

The amount of waste collected represents an 18 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and a cost reduction for the hospitals, as the waste is collected free of charge.

Dr Dorothy Chan is the spearhead of the initiative at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospital.

“I worked in many hospitals in Victoria before heading to Perth, where most hospitals have a robust recycling program in place,” said Dorothy.

“When I started work at St John of God Midland Hospital, I discovered most of the waste generated in operating theatres gets dumped into the normal waste bins.

“I found out that many hospitals in Australia and New Zealand are already involved in the PVC recycling program set up by Baxter Healthcare, in partnership with Vinyl Council of Australia.”

At St John of God Midland Hospital the PVC recycling began in operating theatres and the Day Procedure Unit.

Recently, the Short Stay Unit and Ward 2C have also come on board and there are plans to extend to the whole hospital over time.

St John of God Bendigo Hospital has implemented the program in the surgical, main theatres, recovery, day surgery and oncology units.

They too are hoping to extend the initiative hospital wide.

Acting Nursing Unit Manager Surgical Unit Nadine Murphy is leading the charge at St John of God Bendigo Hospital and is delighted with the reception the program has received and its impact so far.

“Our caregivers have been willing and eager participants with many volunteering to help spread the word and educate co-workers,” she said.

“We are successfully diverting a significant percentage of PVC from landfill at neutral cost, with aid from Baxter Healthcare.”

When an entire 300-bed hospital participates there is the potential for recycling 2.5 tonnes of PVC each year which is more than an entire garbage truck holds.