Sustainability interventions in nursing wards
General resources
Reusable baby bottle
Disposable baby bottles used for feeding have a considerable environmental impact due to the high consumption rates in hospitals1, even though reusable alternatives are available. A reusable glass baby bottle is the preferred option2.
Intervention
Replace disposable baby bottles with reusable baby bottles.
Note: this intervention focuses on the baby bottles that are provided by the hospital for feeding.
Implementation approach
Look at the implementation approach for a (reusable) product and consult the step-by-step guide for more information on setting objectives, implementation and evaluation.
Environmental impact
Measured in CO2-emissions by reducing the number of disposable baby bottles and reusing baby bottles. Want to know more about the environmental impact? See the bottom of this page for more information.
Current situation
1 disposable plastic baby bottle used for feeding
130 ml nutrition = 0.138 kg CO2-eq
240 ml nutrition = 0.210 kg CO2-eq
New situation
1 reusable plastic baby bottle* used for feeding
130 ml nutrition = 0.030 kg CO2-eq
240 ml nutrition = 0.031 kg CO2-eq
1 reusable glass baby bottle* used for feeding
130 ml nutrition = 0.034 kg CO2-eq
240 ml nutrition = 0.034 kg CO2-eq
A dishwasher has a lower environmental impact than washing and sterilizing by hand, if the dishwasher is at least half full with bottles.
*Environmental impact assumes that the baby bottle is washed after each feeding and sterilized in the microwave once every 24 hours.
Giving 100 times 130 ml bottle-feeds with reusable plastic bottles instead of disposable saves
10.8
kg CO2-eq
and is equivalent to driving 55 km
When is it implemented?
This intervention is considered implemented when nursing units that use baby bottles have switched to reusable ones and the difference in CO₂-equivalent (kg) has been calculated.
How this is measured?
Determine the number of disposable baby bottles using the purchase data.
The environmental impact of this intervention can be determined using the purchase data for the number of disposable baby bottles, see method of measuring intervention with purchasing data.
Resources
There are no inspirational resources available yet. Has your hospital already implemented this intervention and would you like to share your experience? Please contact the Together for greener healthcare programme.
Footnotes
- Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers. (June 2024). National inventory of UMCs medical disposables.
- In the project “B.E.S.T. bottle: Baby-safe & Ecofriendly? “Studying impacts and Testing for quality” at the Amsterdam UMC is currently investigating which material is best for a reusable baby bottle.
View our other interventions
ADL
Reducing absorbent mat use
Disposable absorbent mats are designed to absorb large amounts of body fluids from patients. In practice, they are also used for other purposes, such as wiping up spilled liquids on the floor. In many cases, a towel or collection tray will suffice. Because of their high consumption in hospitals, absorbent mats have a significant environmental impact1.
General resources
Paper medication cup
Medication is often administered several times a day in plastic cups, which generates a large amount of waste. Paper medication cups suitable for liquids (containing less than 5% plastic) offer a more sustainable alternative. In some cases, however, a plastic cup remains necessary, for example when crushing medication.
Monitoring parameters
Reducing blood testing
Blood samples are an essential part of patient care, but they also generate waste and take time. Nurses play an important role at the start of this process and, together with physicians and nurse specialists, can explore ways to reduce the number of blood samples performed.
