The neonatal milk team use doner breast milk for babies on the wards. The milk is prepared using one per person plastic jugs and plastic containers. Numbers from stores said about 100 per month - 52p each, and 380 gallipot (250ml containers) per month - 25p each.
They have tried on a few occasions to try and clean the jugs but haven't managed it and a specialist dishwasher that cleans and sterilises has not been able to be bought due to funds. They can't even recycle the plastic as it has bodily fluids and cannot be cleaned and recycled?
It seems ludicrous to use 100 new plastic jugs each month (probably more). Does anyone know of Neonatal units that have an SOP or practice where they clean? Or other similar equipment where that policy can be adapted?
Not a direct answer, but related. One of the Green Team Competition teams has been a neonatal team looking at single use feeding bottles and changing to reusable with microwave sterilisation. If you'd like to drop me an email (matthew.sawyer@sustainablehealthcare.org.uk), then I can ask the relevant team if they would be happy for an email/introduction
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