Referral centre’s bronze award for campaign to cut emissions and waste

A referral centre’s drive to cut emissions, waste and costs has earned it a national environment award.

Veterinary Specialists Scotland (VSS) has received a bronze award from Investors in the Environment (iiE) following a sustainability campaign at the Livingston hospital.

In an audit of its sustainability efforts, VSS was praised for implementing a good environmental management system and engaging members of its team in positive actions to improve environmental performance.

Measures

A waste management system has been introduced to segregate general and clinical waste, and the centre is using re-usable scrub hats – a measure that can save 1,400 disposable hats going to landfill. It is also trialling reusable incontinence pads.

Low-flow anaesthesia has been introduced in theatre, and water, electric and gas usage is monitored carefully throughout the hospital.

Engaged

VSS sustainability lead Emilia Porter, clinician in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, said the team had fully engaged with the sustainability push.

She said: “We think it’s very important for businesses to be more environmentally friendly, so we are on a mission to embed sustainability into all areas of how VSS is run.

“We are really pleased to have earned a bronze award from iiE, as it reflects the sustained commitment shown by the team here to create and implement a new eco-friendly policy to reduce our environmental impact.

“Our changes range from simple things, such as moving away from as many single-use consumables as possible, to bigger changes such as using low-flow anaesthesia in theatre, measuring and monitoring waste, electricity, gas and water usage, and introducing re-usable scrub hats across the centre.”