Paper Reduction, Reuse and Recycling on a Dialysis Unit

Key learning point: Simple measures to reduce, reuse and recycle paper resulted in a 75% reduction of paper use, resulting in environmental and financial savings.

Setting/Patient Group: Dialysis Unit

Issue to be addressed:  Paper is a commonly used consumable across all departments in hospitals. However, with increasing digitalisation there are strategies that can be adopted to reduce unnecessary paper use.

Intervention:

Reduce

• Stop all paper copies of blood results as located within the IT system.
• Double side all printed documents.
• Reduce paper care plan to essential information only.

Reuse

• Implement a scrap paper A5 file to be used, for example telephone call messages, to do lists food orders.
• Any non-confidential paper waste to be used for scrap paper.

Recycle

• Ensure recycling bins are located within the renal unit.
• Patient education to encourage recycling of newspapers read on the unit.
• Ensure all paper waste is deposited in the recycle bins provided within the unit.

Outcomes:

Social

• Not documented

Environmental

• 109 kg CO2e/year (estimated)

Economic

• £139.36/year (estimated)