Busselton Vet Hospital
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The Busselton Veterinary Hospital team asks
“Which bin does this go in?”
That was the question constantly asked around our clinic while we transitioned into the changes we have implemented to reduce our waste and increase our recycling efforts.
That was the question constantly asked around our clinic while we transitioned into the changes we have implemented to reduce our waste and increase our recycling efforts.
It’s hard to ignore the videos, Netflix shows and the growing awareness surrounding the impact of how single use plastics and our “throw away” habits are affecting our wildlife and the world we share with them. This is ironic considering the industry we are in and that made us question how we can help, instead of contributing to the issues. Mindlessly throwing away single use plastics, bin liners, paper towels, fluids bags and lines, vaccination vials and much more contributed to our 8 overflowing curb side bins a week and it was heartbreaking. We had to make a change!!
It seemed like a mammoth task at the start and we weren’t even sure if it was possible to significantly reduce our waste going to landfill, especially being a part of the medical industry. We started with planting the “recycling seed” and from there it didn’t take much to get everyone on board. Once we all witnessed the difference we could make the recycling bug took off and everyone was committed to our new sustainability path both at work and at home. We are extremely proud of our efforts and now only put out 1 bin a week.
Throughout this process it became obvious to us we had a responsibility to our clients, and community, to be accountable for the products we sell, and to offer them solutions for waste reduction. Offering pet food bag, dispensing bottle and blister pack recycling to our clients has become a large part of our commitment to being more sustainable and has been welcomed by our clients.
Change is always challenging and while it took a little bit of getting used to hasn’t increased our workload. We are probably saving time because we aren’t always putting the overflowing bins out.
Every day we are still making progress and finding new ways to reduce our waste, like trialling a “doggie long drop” to eliminate pooh bags, and reviewing some of our autoclaving processes to reduce unrecyclable pouches. We are very proud of what we have accomplished so far and the best part is it hasn’t changed the standard of care that we have always had and always will have for our patients, the bonus is now we are looking after the world we share with them.
Here’s a few of the ways we were able to reduce our waste and help the environment.
- Utilising medical waste recycling streams – bins for syringes, vaccination vials, catheter/needle caps, PVC products (IV bags, lines), ET tubes, medical soft plastics
- Composting – all paper products including paper towels, syringe/needle/gown packaging – yep we separate the plastic and paper for everything
- Being Kennel Conscious – composting unsoiled newspaper/cat litter, moving bedding with patients to save water washing multiple beds, using other bedding solutions.
- Blister Pack Recycling – for medications dispensed to our clients and used in our hospital
- Kitchen Awareness – worm farm/compost for food waste & tea leaves, compostable sponges, recycling coffee pods, REDcycle for packaging from the endless supply of chips and chocolates in every vet clinic.
- Pet Food Bag Recycling – signed up with Terracycle as collection hub for Royal Canin and Eukanuba bags and recycle Hills bags with Redcycle