Sustainable Ways of Working in Care Homes

Sustainable Ways of Working in Care Homes

Sustainable Ways of Working in Care Homes

Recycling Week takes place annually in October, giving individuals and businesses a valuable opportunity to think about how they use, repurpose and dispose of resources responsibly and sustainably. Care settings normally need to use a large amount of paper, carboard and plastics in their daily work. For example, single-use medical supplies, food and beverage packaging, kitchen waste, PPE, medication containers and more.

While waste is an inevitable part of logistics, catering and medical care provision in many cases, there are many ways in which care homes and healthcare facilities can recycle, reduce and reuse resources. This can help lower their carbon footprint, protect against pollution and keep more recyclable waste out of landfill. Care settings are busy places, so recycling may not always be top of the list of priorities. However, there are several straightforward ways to introduce recycling into the daily routines of a care home or setting.

A place for everything…

…and everything in its place, as the old saying goes. Making it clear and easy to know where to put items to be recycled means that residents and staff will be far more likely to make the effort to separate out any waste they need to get rid of. For example, put paper bins around the home for easy recycling of envelopes, junk mail, magazines, paper cups etc. Label the bins, using pictures for simple guidance about what they can contain to be set aside for recycling.

You could do the same for plastics, metals, textiles – anything you think people would be prepared to set aside for recycling., Likewise, have separate bins available for non-recyclable waste, so that people don’t have to go too far to get rid of anything else they need to throw away. These may need to be kept in less communal areas, such as the kitchen or outside, but they can still be labelled and positioned for easy use.

Educate and inspire

In order to get people on board with recycling, it may be necessary to generate some interest and engagement first. This can be done in a number of fun ways, from craft workshops using clean card, paper and packaging saved for this purpose to visiting speakers, films and training sessions. Put up posters encouraging recycling and offering interesting facts about how we can all do our bit, what can be recycled and things that can be made from rescuing appropriate waste from landfill.

Other ways to encourage participation is to hold competitions to see who can recycle the most, set weekly targets with incentives for beating them, running quizzes about what can and cannot be recycled and inviting staff and residents to join together to work towards a longer-term zero waste target.

Upcycling and repurposing

It’s not just paper and plastic that can be recycled. Take a look around the care home to see what else you might be able to repurpose, upcycle or give new life to. Unused furniture, for example, could be given a lick of paint, deep clean or a revamp to give it a new identity and use. Try moving furniture around the home to see if it is better used in different rooms. Encourage residents to buy second-hand or donate items they no longer need to charity to reduce clutter and avoid bringing needlessly brand new items into the home too frequently.

Easy ways to promote second-hand recycling include holding regular clothing swaps and jumble sales or introducing upcycling activities involving DIY or craft. This could include making Christmas gifts out of recycled fabrics, yarn and packaging materials, using old magazines and photographs for scrapbooking and making bird feeders out of discarded containers, trays, pots and pans otherwise destined for landfill.

Procurement and sustainable business practices

Don’t forget to involve your staff in your recycling efforts in your care home. As well as regular training and providing recycling points for easy sorting of waste, introduce or expand sustainable ways of working in all your admin and operational activities. Some good places to start include discouraging single-use plastics and other materials in your procurement and purchasing departments.

Carry out an audit of your suppliers to see which ones have signed up for sustainable initiatives, net zero commitments and responsible business choices around recycling and repurposing resources. This information is usually available on their websites, or you can ask directly for details about their greener working practices. Use Care Vision to record your audit and store details of green suppliers to help you build on your business relationships with organisations that share your values and ambitions around sustainability.