Ramsay Newsroom
Plastic reduction and solar energy in Ramsay Health Care’s sights on World Environment Day
June 04, 2021
In just one year, Ramsay Health Care Australia has saved enough plastic single-use items to line the road from Melbourne to Cairns, as part of its new sustainability program called Ramsay Cares.
Speaking in the lead up to World Environment Day (June 5), Ramsay Australia CEO Carmel Monaghan said the company’s achievements in its hospitals and facilities across the country so far had been remarkable.
“Not only have Ramsay sites kept 16 million single-use plastic items out of landfill by replacing them with sustainable alternatives, 94 per cent of our hospitals have committed to phasing out plastic water bottles,” Ms Monaghan said.
“Our staff, patients, customers and suppliers have been incredibly enthusiastic and we’re only just getting started!”
Ramsay Health Care’s global sustainability platform, Ramsay Cares, sets out how the company will make positive and meaningful changes to support healthier people, a greener planet and a stronger community.
In 2021, Ramsay Health Care has committed to a multi-year programme of installing solar panels across its hospital network. The first hospital to install solar panels is Nowra Private Hospital whichflicked over to solar energy this month.
“Ramsay Cares is ambitious but so are we,” Ms Monaghan said.
“It includes ways to save energy, recycle and reduce our waste, to improve how we work and look after our wellbeing, and support our communities to be happier and healthier.
“Health care companies around the world have a responsibility to safely reduce their environmental impact – particularly as we come out of a plastic-filled pandemic.
“Health care is about focusing on safety and wellbeing and that must extend to our people, planet and communities for generations to come.”
Ramsay Australia’s achievements over the past year include:
- Replacing 16 million single-use plastic items with sustainable options
- 94% of Ramsay sites committing to removing plastic water bottles
- Recycling 30,000+ PVC intravenous bags
- Repurposing 98% of unwanted IT assets
- Recycling 39% of Ramsay’s general waste
- Working to install solar panels at hospitals
- Winning 2021 HESTA Nursing and Midwifery Award for ‘Outstanding Organisation’ for sustainability work
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