Recycle Week 2023 – Pete Vesey on the sustainability of aids, equipment and adaptations

It's National Recycle Week!

The NHS makes up 4% of the UK’s total carbon footprint with the NHS’ supply chain accounting for 66% of the NHS' overall carbon emissions.

Within the supply chain, medical equipment and devices account for 13% of the NHS carbon emissions and walking aids are on the list of items contributing the most to this footprint.

To celebrate National Recycle Week, the NHS is encouraging patients and those who work in health and social care to use this week as an opportunity to return any walking sticks, frames, rollators, and crutches that are no longer in use.

Reusing and refurbishing a walking aid can reduce carbon emissions by 98% on average, and prevent additional waste from going to landfill. Their return can also improve availability for existing and future patients, and save money.

This action chimes with one of our recommended 10 key actions.

Pete Vesey, our Professional Advisor on environmental sustainability, has taken some time to write a blog linking up the work OTs have done before and the practical resources available to our profession.

Pete's blog

Whenever I am in conversation with occupational therapists about sustainability, the topic of equipment comes up. This has certainly been the case in the Sustainable Occupational Therapy Network (you can follow them on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook via @OTsusnet). In this network we have both heard from and encouraged actions that improve the reuse of equipment and reduce disposal to landfill.

If you'd like to see some great examples of this from our members and the wider OT community, it's worth exploring some of our OTnews back issues.