Lifeblood Circularity Challenge
Lifeblood Circularity Challenge
We need innovators and creative thinkers to help us make a difference in a new way. We’re seeking fresh solutions to a problem that plagues the medical industry: waste.
Background
Australia’s health sector produces around 43,000 tonnes of medical waste each year. That’s around 7% of the country’s total carbon emissions, and Lifeblood accounts for about 7% of that medical waste.
That’s 2,656 tonnes of waste a year! Of this, 793 tonnes are recycled, 1,013 tonnes are disposed of as general waste, and 850 tonnes are classified as clinical waste. See additional data here more details on waste volumes and types.
Around 80% of our general waste could be recycled if properly separated, filtered and managed. Including 50 tonnes of hard plastics and 650 tonnes of soft plastics.
We’ve explored opportunities to recycle general waste through pilots focusing on saline bags and latex gloves. While effective, the costs are considerably higher than conventional disposal.