Waste Stories 18/7/2016

 

10th anniversary

1.New committee members
I am pleased to announce three new members of the Group’s steering committee, who are Ed Van Reenen, Maria Mahon and Mark Lepine-Williams. Ed, Maria and Mark replace Andy Stratton and Helen Murphy, who have left the Committee due to other commitments. Andy and Helen will continue to lend support where possible, and I wish to thank them for their efforts over the years.
2. Horizon Low Carbon Hospital Prize Open to Applications
In Europe, the integration and use of renewable energy in buildings for heat and power generation still faces unsolved technological problems linked to the security and reliability of energy supply and related costs. This is due to the intermittent nature of some renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind. The challenge is even greater in cases where a 100% security of energy supply is essential, such as for hospitals.
The European Union’s Horizon Prize – Low Carbon Hospital is offering a prize of €1 million to a hospital that integrates within its premises a combined heat and power installation to supply all of its energy needs using only renewable sources.
Entrant hospitals must install a new combined heat and power system integrating at least three different European renewable energy technologies, with an energy storage component, annually generating at least 2,000,000 kilowatt-hour (kWhe), and being able to provide 100% of the hospital’s annual needs for energy consumption. The system should have been operating in the hospital premises for at least six months at the submission of the application.
Installing this kind of integrated equipment in the ecosystem of a hospital would not only ensure the security of its energy supply, but it would also raise public awareness of the integration of renewable energies in everyday life. The Prize also aims to mobilise and enhance private and public investments for the replication of similar solutions in Europe and worldwide.
Entries can be submitted until the competition closing date on 3 April 2019. Potential participants are required to register for the contest by 31 March 2017.

 

3. SDU report on the financial value of sustainable development

This work has been produced by partners throughout the health and care system coordinated by the Sustainable Development Unit (for NHS England and Public Health England) and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) NHS Environmental Sustainability Special Interest Group. It provides crucial evidence on where the health and care system can improve sustainability both financially and environmentally.

Read the full report Securing_Healthy_Returns_Report_SDU_WEB

4. Study comparing the costs and environmental benefit for selected healthcare waste technologies

This paper aims to evaluate the ‘optimum’ healthcare waste treatment technology, using a National Health Service organisation in the East Midlands region of England, as the case study organisation. Using analytic hierarchy process as the research tool, this research determined that the ‘optimum’ approach was a mix of technologies. However, this result was largely driven by costs considerations. Thus the findings suggest the need for a holistic approach to the decision-making process for the procurement of their healthcare waste management services.

Until August 13, full access to the article is available here

5. Senior Technical Advisor position for the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management

Due to a promotion, CIWM is now seeking candidates with a sound technical knowledge of wastes and resource management to provide advice on waste, resource and environmental issues. For more details about the role and advert click here for details of the job description click here, the closing date for applications is Friday 29th July 2016.

For more information click here

6. Mauser acquires Daniel Healthcare

On July 11th, 2016, MAUSER Group, a worldwide leading company in rigid industrial packaging based in Bruehl, Germany, announced the acquisition of Daniels Healthcare Group. Based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, UK, Daniels Healthcare manufactures and markets medical waste containers for hospitals, surgeries, needle exchange schemes, councils and the clinical waste industry.

Read the release here