GRASP Champions visit Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility

19 October 2022

This week is National Recycling Week, focusing on inspiring people to get real and improve recycling, tackle myths and help reduce confusion.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT) is committed to reducing waste and increasing recycling and has set a target to become one of the greenest Trusts in the NHS. 

As part of recycling week and the Trust's mission to embed sustainability across all activities, GRASP Champions visited the Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF).

GRASP Champions help make LTHT a sustainable, environmentally friendly and healthier place for patients, staff and the wider community. They play an integral role in the Trust's fight against climate change, and their actions motivate, empower and instigate change. GRASP stands for be Green, Recycle, be Aware, be Sustainable for our Patients.

The RERF, which became fully operational in April 2016, is run by Veolia and Leeds City Council. The state-of-the-art facility separates and sorts out recyclable materials. Any remaining waste is then burnt to produce energy in the form of steam, which provides heat through the District Heating Network, for homes across Leeds and organisations, including the Trust.

During the visit, the GRASP Champions had the opportunity to see what happens to the Trust's domestic and offensive waste, and from households and businesses across Leeds. 

Paul Curotto, Waste Training Educator, organised the visit and said, "Waste management plays a significant role in the Trust meeting our sustainability targets; we haven't sent any waste to landfill for the past five years. It was great to show our GRASP Champions that the Trust's domestic waste, over 3,000 tonnes, is recycled or reused to create energy".

Alison Kinany, a Matron for Urgent Care, is one of the Trust's GRASP Champions and really enjoyed the visit and said, "Visiting the RERF was a real eye opener. It has definitely helped me understand more about the waste process and question what bin I should use at work and home."

Procedures are in place across the Trust for dry mixed recycling, confidential and clinical waste, and the Waste and Sustainability team are exploring new initiatives which will enable staff to reuse items, including office desks, chairs and equipment.

Visit the sustainability section to find out more about our plans to become one of the greenest NHS trusts.