As cost pressures rise, along with the requirements to uphold quality standards and increased sustainability requirements from regulators, waste reduction has become a key focus area for care homes. Through various methods care home facilities can not only save money and reduce waste but also be a part of the solution for a more sustainable future.
1. Improving Inventory Management for Less Waste
Efficient inventory management reduces waste and unnecessary costs. Using care home optimisation procurement processes, care homes can avoid over-ordering and reduce the likelihood of unused or expired products.
- Digital Inventory System: Use software to monitor inventory levels of medical supplies, personal care products, and cleaning supplies for care homes. Automated alerts can do just that, notifying staff when items need replenishing.
- Adopt a ‘First In, First Out’ Policy: Make sure that older stock is used before the deliveries of food that were received more recently. This helps curtail the waste induced by expired products, especially when it comes to perishables.
- Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: Use concentrated cleaning products not only to reduce plastic waste but also to minimise the volume of chemicals used. Switching to concentrated cleaning solutions allows you to refill bottles as needed, cutting down on plastic waste and saving storage space. Plus, by using the correct dispensers, you can avoid overuse, ensuring each drop is put to good use.
- Use Sustainable Suppliers: Choose suppliers that offer bulk buying, sustainable product alternatives, and eco-friendly packaging options.
- Promote Reusability: Whenever feasible, swap single-use items for reusables. This includes everything from dining utensils and patient hoist slings to washable care home furnishings.
2. Involving Employees and Residents
The waste reduction program should be a joint effort by staff, residents as well as visitors. An engaging culture of sustainability needs to be created for this to be successful in the long run.
- Run Awareness Programs: To inform everyone on the importance of reducing waste, put up posters and host workshops.
- Sustainability Champions: Recruit staff to spearhead efforts and inspire involvement.
- Encourage Sustainable Behaviours: Encourage and recognise staff who commit to waste-reduction behaviours.
- Resident Participation: Encourage residents to participate in environmentally friendly activities such as composting, upcycling old materials for crafts, and recycling. Making sustainability a collective effort promotes a sense of community while also encouraging environmental responsibility.
- Visitor Engagement: Provide clear waste disposal instructions in visitor areas and encourage responsible behaviour through signage and reminders.
3. Monitor Waste Reduction Success
To maintain momentum, it’s important to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of waste reduction initiatives.
- Conduct Regular Waste Audits: Regularly evaluate waste management practices and use the data for areas of improvement. Reviewing results over time helps assess whether initiatives are doing well and shows where to improve.
- Set Goals: Create targets for reducing certain waste, for example, a 20% decrease in food waste over the next six months. Divide these goals into smaller, actionable steps that will keep progress on track.
- Use CQC Compliance as a Guide: Tailor waste reduction initiatives to CQC sustainability mandates, ensuring compliance and driving operational efficiency.
- Use Data And Reporting Tools: Software is used in many care homes to track food waste, recycling statistics, and how much food is used, allowing for data-driven decision-making within the facilities.
- Review and Adapt: Audit results and staff feedback to regularly review waste reduction strategies. Modify programs to improve results and develop new programs where appropriate.
Finally, recycling and composting can help make your care facility more sustainable while also lowering costs. To achieve this, remember to:
- Separate Waste Properly – Use clearly labelled or colour-coded bins for paper, plastic, glass, and general waste in common areas, staff rooms, and kitchens. Visual guides help ensure correct disposal.
- Work with Recycling Services – Partner with local waste providers to ensure proper recycling and compliance with regulations.
- Set up a Composting System – Set up a composting system for food scraps and garden waste or collaborate with a local composting service.
- Reuse Compost – Utilise composted material for care home gardens, creating a circular waste management system that benefits both sustainability efforts and resident well-being.
- Use Compostable Food Service Items – Switching to biodegradable plates, cutlery, and containers reduces plastic waste.
Improved inventory management, comprehensive recycling programs, composting of organic waste, and a culture of sustainability can all make a significant impact on waste reduction in care homes. Steps taken to reduce waste are a win-win for care homes and their residents, as well as the planet.
Acticare has a wide selection of eco-friendly care home supplies designed to help you reduce waste whilst providing you with sustainable and high-quality care materials — why not take a look? Get in touch with us today to see how we can help your care home run more sustainably.