A group of NHS teams have been credited with successfully running a pilot project to reduce waste in a hospital.
The aim behind the initiative is to introduce a sustainable project to reduce waste arising from single use of nasoendoscopes.
These are used to look and assess a patient’s nose and throat quickly and effectively with minimal discomfort whilst the patient is awake without the need for sedation.
This is a pilot project funded by Ambu, a supplier of nasoendoscopes, to create a sustainable health service under the NHS Green Plan.
Before this, staff members often highlighted the amount of waste being generated from the disposal of nasoendoscopes, as they can only be used once and need to be discarded after use.
As a result, the teams came together to work with Ambu as they introduced recycling bins in the hospital in September 2025.
Ever since its introduction, these sealable wheeled bins have been able to collect used nasoendoscopes, enabling the precious metals from them to be harvested, and any remaining plastics are recycled.
This also helps reduce the volume of waste going to landfill, which supports the Greener NHS agenda to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Clinical procurement lead nurse Sam Davison said:
This project demonstrates how clinical teams can engage with suppliers like Ambu to create a more responsible partnership tackling climate change one step at a time.
“This project demonstrates how clinical teams can engage with suppliers like Ambu to create a more responsible partnership tackling climate change one step at a time.”
Alexander Andersen, Ambu’s sustainability lead, added: “This is the first step in Ambu’s commitment to supporting James Cook in fulfilling the NHS Green plan.”