These projects support environmental sustainability in hospitals, especially operating theatres.
The Secret Life of Puffers
A team from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network is working to reduce the environmental impact of metered dose inhalers.
Added: 22 August 2025 | Last updated: 3 September 2025
One bin at a time
This initiative has diverted approximately 70,000 single-use plastic bin liners from landfill, through the introduction of centralised source separation bins.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 14 July 2025
Integrating sustainability education in junior medical officer teaching
CCLHD is empowering junior medical officers to act as sustainability champions, to help the district meet its Net Zero targets.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 10 October 2025
Using low-carbon drones to support NSW Ambulance aeromedical operations
NSW Ambulance is trilling renewable energy-powered Remote Piloted Aircraft Clinical Systems drones to support its aeromedical operations.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 18 November 2025
Reducing carbon emissions by adopting online neuropsychology assessments
Transitioning to online neuropsychological assessments to reduce carbon emissions and improving service efficiency.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 18 November 2025
The Bundaleer Project
Using horticulture-based rehabilitation to tackle cultural disconnection, improve patient outcomes and deliver visible contributions to the Aboriginal community and broader society.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 19 November 2025
Minimising dialysis waste through incremental peritoneal dialysis
Clinicians are prescribing incremental dialysis and calculate environmental savings via an online application.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 19 November 2025
Battery infusion pumps for hospital in the home patients
Introducing reusable ambulatory infusion pumps for intravenous antibiotics.
Added: 14 July 2025 | Last updated: 20 November 2025
Project IVORY
Project IVORY promotes switching early from IV to oral antimicrobials for adult inpatients at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital.
Added: 16 May 2025 | Last updated: 16 May 2025
Implementation of reusable tourniquets in the emergency department
Reducing waste through the implementation of reusable tourniquets at Wyong Hospital ED.
Added: 11 April 2025 | Last updated: 16 June 2025
Reducing unnecessary use of calf compressors in the ICU
Reducing unnecessary use of calf compressors in Royal North Shore Hospital's ICU.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
‘Greening’ respiratory health
This project aims to reduce the number of respiratory inhalers disposed of at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
Pill-easing the planet
Optimising the management of pharmaceutical waste in all Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital clinical areas.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
The DISPENSE Study
Addressing environmental concerns surrounding insulin delivery consumables for people living with diabetes.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
The ‘Steel got it!’ Project
Addressing waste through reducing the use of single-use plastic holloware in operating theatres.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
The No 2 N2O Project
Reducing emissions from nitrous oxide across Northern Sydney Local Health District.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
The Satellite Triage Assessment Service
A satellite assessment clinic at Gosford Hospital for spinal pain patients living on the Central Coast.
Added: 5 March 2025 | Last updated: 8 August 2025
Avoiding general anaesthetic in paediatric MRIs
This project aimed to increase the proportion of paediatric patients at Royal North Shore Hospital who undergo a planned MRI without a general anaesthetic.
Added: 4 March 2025 | Last updated: 7 March 2025
The Going Circular Pilot
EnableNSW’s Going Circular Pilot developed a circular economy model for home respiratory equipment in NSW to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
Added: 19 November 2024 | Last updated: 26 November 2024
Reuse of reverse osmosis plant reject water
Reusing reject water for flushing toilets at Lake Haven Community Health Centre, significantly reducing water wastage.
Added: 19 November 2024 | Last updated: 25 November 2024
Grow and play
To facilitate the uptake of healthy behaviours in children and adolescents, the project team established a vegetable garden and outdoor play area at Ellimatta House.
Added: 19 November 2024 | Last updated: 26 November 2024
Reusable sterilised holloware for use in operating theatres
This project aimed to reduce single-use polypropylene hollowware by introducing reusable polypropylene hollowware products.
Added: 18 November 2024 | Last updated: 19 November 2024
Nitrous oxide (N20) clinical use audit and infrastructure testing
The nitrous oxide project at St George Hospital in aimed to assess the hospital’s nitrous oxide clinical use pattern and infrastructure integrity.
Added: 19 September 2024 | Last updated: 22 September 2024
Let’s go green
Let’s Go Green aimed to reduce waste and emissions through implementing a sustainable garden, and a composting system to divert organic waste from landfill.
Added: 17 September 2024 | Last updated: 24 October 2024
Reusable sterile operating theatre light handles
Reducing the carbon footprint of surgical care by transitioning from disposable sterile operating theatre light handle covers to reusable sterile light handles.
Added: 27 August 2024 | Last updated: 17 September 2024
Reduction of unnecessary barriers gowns in ICUs
This single centre staff education project aims to reduce unnecessary barrier gown use whilst aligning with infection control guidelines
Added: 27 August 2024 | Last updated: 27 August 2024
Intravenous to oral antimicrobial switch
A clinical decision support tool to triage prescribed IV antimicrobial orders for a post-prescription review.
Added: 27 August 2024 | Last updated: 9 September 2024
Nitrous oxide use and leakage at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Measuring nitrous oxide flows at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead to identify leaks and understand patterns of flow.
Added: 27 August 2024 | Last updated: 27 August 2024
MISRT: Medical Imaging Simulated Radiation Therapy
The aim of this initiative was to improve patient and health professional experience when delivering palliative radiation therapy in rural and regional settings, whilst reducing carbon emissions.
Added: 27 August 2024 | Last updated: 28 August 2024
UberMeds
The UBERMeds project aims to enhance the service delivery of inpatient medication to the East Block surgical service at Nepean Hospital by November 2024.
Added: 20 August 2024 | Last updated: 22 August 2024
Medication blister pack recycling program
The blister pack recycling program aimed to improve pharmaceutical waste management by increasing staff knowledge and capability to segregate waste.
Added: 12 July 2024 | Last updated: 19 September 2024
Virtual Health Interpreter Service
Supporting patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds through access to virtual interpreter services.
Added: 11 July 2024 | Last updated: 23 July 2024
Pressure to reduce waste
This project investigated the presence of bacteria in air samples taken from positive airway pressure devices to develop an evidence base to support the re-purposing of equipment.
Added: 11 July 2024 | Last updated: 15 July 2024
Virtually equipped therapy options (VETO)
The aim of this project was to investigate the feasibility of loaning iPADS to ISLHD Speech Pathology consumers to improve access to therapy program and reduce carbon emissions.
Added: 26 June 2024 | Last updated: 26 June 2024
CT switch for savings
The CT switch off pilot project aimed to investigate potential carbon, financial and health service benefits of turning off a computed tomography (CT) scanner when not in use.
Added: 4 June 2024 | Last updated: 4 June 2024
Gloves Off! Clean hands, safe for all
The Gloves Off! project aims improve hand hygiene and reduce unnecessary non-sterile glove use through the implementation of a targeted hand hygiene education program.
Added: 4 June 2024 | Last updated: 4 June 2024
Reducing the use of desflurane
The desflurane project at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital aimed to investigate, measure, and reduce departmental use of volatile anaesthetics by introducing an educational, behavioural, motivational and systems change intervention.
Added: 4 June 2024 | Last updated: 4 June 2024
ICU not wasting
The project looks at reducing waste generated by ICU beside trolleys for patients with a multidrug-resistant organism.
Added: 7 May 2024 | Last updated: 8 May 2024
The potassium challenge
The project team improved pain management and reduced waste associated with potassium transfusions through staff education.
Added: 14 April 2024 | Last updated: 16 April 2025
Waste Action Reuse Portal (WARPIT)
The Waste Action Reuse Portal (WARPIT) website works by allowing staff to list items that are no longer in use, mainly furniture, for other staff to claim.
Added: 1 March 2024 | Last updated: 14 March 2024
Patient plastic bottle collection
Hospitals have a significant amount of patient plastic bottle waste. South Western Sydney Local Health District and HealthShare NSW started a trial of patient plastic bottle collection in January 2020...
Added: 4 August 2021 | Last updated: 4 August 2021
Bread tags for wheelchairs
Bread tags for wheelchairs is an initiative taking place at St George Hospital, aimed to encourage the separation of waste. The initiative contributes to the overall aim to completely eliminate...
Added: 18 February 2020 | Last updated: 20 April 2021
Randwick campus redevelopment Green Travel Plan
The Randwick campus redevelopment Green Travel Plan and implementation plan sets out: future targets for staff travel mode share, specifically a reduction in car driver mode share; travel demand management...
Added: 18 February 2020 | Last updated: 3 March 2020