Waste management specialist, Mitie, has been awarded a contract to collect and manage all healthcare-related waste produced by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The contract includes hospital gowns, gloves, testing kits, and other single-use plastics from Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital.

The waste will be treated using Mitie’s specialist autoclave technology – a sustainable waste management alternative – which can treat up to 1.8 tonnes of infectious waste, like sharp syringes, swabs, and dressings, every 45 minutes.

By using the autoclave technology, the trust’s clinical waste will be treated with high-pressure steam which destroys bacteria and pathogens on the material, preparing it for safe disposal.

Whenever possible, Mitie will also work with partners across the UK to recycle and repurpose the decontaminated material by turning it into plastic pellets that can be used to make new products to be used in healthcare environments, supporting a circular economy.

A spokesman for Mitie said: “This method is far more sustainable than the traditional carbon-intensive, high-temperature incineration process which destroys waste at over 1,100 ˚C, and does not allow for recycling.”

Cliniwaste, a specialist in treating waste from healthcare environments using alternative treatment, was acquired by Mitie in October 2023 and will be central to the delivery of the contract. Cliniwaste’s Nottingham treatment facility is located just three miles from Queen’s Medical Centre, ensuring waste will only travel a short distance before being treated, further enhancing sustainability across the contract, and assisting the NHS in its decarbonisation targets.

Michael Taylor, managing director of Mitie Waste, said: “This contract not only demonstrates our approach to innovative waste treatment, but also our commitment to supporting the NHS in achieving its sustainability targets.

“Through our expert Cliniwaste team and our advanced autoclave technology, we can ensure that all clinical waste across the trust is managed efficiently and responsibly, contributing to a greener future for healthcare.”