‘Offensive’ shift sparks King’s College Hospital waste management win

As one of London’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals, King’s College Hospital generates significant amounts of clinical waste. During COVID-19, staff disposed of all waste as infectious due to contagion concerns. Post-pandemic, this habit persisted, leading to inefficiencies, increased disposal costs and higher carbon emissions.

To comply with the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy, the hospital needed to reinstate proper waste segregation – separating offensive waste from infectious and hazardous materials. This shift was critical for meeting NHS Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 07-01 targets, which require 60% of clinical waste to be classified as offensive, 20% for high-temperature incineration and 20% for alternative treatment by 2026.

To drive behavioural change and ensure compliance, Medirest and SUEZ worked together to reintroduce offensive waste segregation across the hospital. Offensive waste – such as non-infectious hygiene waste, incontinence pads and uncontaminated PPE – was separated from hazardous and infectious waste, reducing the volume requiring costly clinical waste treatment.

Among the key actions we implemented include staff training and engagement, setting up of clear protocols and improvement of infrastructure. We identified barriers and provided proper waste flow guidance, which helped ensure clear understanding of staff responsibilities. We also enhanced signage and disposal points.

The shift in waste disposal habits has been widely embraced, with staff demonstrating greater awareness and accountability. Over the next several months, Medirest and SUEZ will continue to monitor progress as the full hospital rollout is completed, ensuring long-term compliance and sustainability.

The new system yielded impressive results with a 260% increase in offensive waste collection. Around 20% of highly infectious/hazardous waste were incinerated and another 20% of low-risk clinical waste were sent for alternative treatment.

As a result, King’s College Hospital is not only meeting NHS waste strategy targets but also fostering a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to healthcare waste management.