Recycling at the hospital

2018.10.09

19 Deputy S.M. Ahier of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding

recycling at the hospital: [OQ.139/2018]

Will the Minister inform the Assembly whether the hospital has a recycling policy and, if not, will he assure Members that such a policy will be introduced for the new hospital to ensure that glass, plastic, cans and other recyclables are not put in with general waste?

The Deputy of St. Ouen (The Minister for Health and Social Services):

The hospital does not have a formal recycling policy, but as a matter of course hospital staff are encouraged to recycle as much as possible with appropriate signage and different-coloured waste bags to serve as a reminder. Recyclables include paper, card, cans, metals, glass, plastics and batteries and all are deposited at designated recycling banks. With regard to the future hospital, this approach will be formalised as a recycling policy in advance of the future hospital being opened.

1. Deputy S.M. Ahier :

Will the Minister vouch that Jersey will be in the van of recycling at the new hospital and a comprehensive recycling policy will be recommended to the future hospital group?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

I very much hope that we would be in the van, as I think the Deputy said, that we would have the best policy available and recycle to the maximum extent. It is a detail that has yet to be worked out. If the Deputy has any particular thoughts about what should be included in a policy, I would welcome them and will pass them on to appropriate officers.

2. Deputy K.F. Morel :

Hearing the news that the hospital does not have a formal recycling policy, I was wondering whether that also stands for a larger environmental policy. Does the hospital have a formal environmental policy?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

To the best of my knowledge, there is not a written document entitled Environmental Policy that I have seen, but that is such a wide term, I wonder what the Deputy may be referring to. The hospital deals with a great deal of hazardous waste, which is disposed of very carefully. If he is considering that issue, those sorts of wastes arise by clinical intervention and are strictly managed and controlled and separated at source and it goes to a separate waste incinerator at La Collette. To concentrate perhaps simply on one building within the States realm is perhaps not the right approach. If we are looking at how the States recycles internally, our own staff recycling or how the buildings we operate deal with recycling or deal with environmental issues, there needs to be a policy which is across the board. It is not enough, I think, just to say: "What is the hospital policy on it?" What is the States policy on how it recycles from its buildings? That is perhaps a more pertinent question.

3. Deputy K.F. Morel :

I welcome the idea that perhaps the Health Department might bring forward an environmental policy, but just to help the Minister understand, is it not a case that the States itself would have an environmental policy which covers the Health Department or the hospital, they would have to set up their own? Because the hospital, for instance, has its own needs. It will, by the nature of its work, be one of the largest organisations in Jersey with an effect on the environment, and as such, along with most corporate bodies nowadays of any size or scale, it would be normal to have an environmental policy. Will the Minister speak to his officers to see whether this is something that would be forthcoming?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

Yes, I will speak to officers. I do recall now that in the planning for the new hospital, environmental impact assessments were made and mitigation measures for environmental potential harm would have been included within that. I can get back to the Deputy on the specific points he has raised this morning.

4. Deputy M. Tadier :

I like the word "formal", that we have no formal recycling policy, but of course the Minister could have omitted that word and it would have been equally true to say we have no policy when it comes to recycling. Does the Minister agree that it is unacceptable to wait for the new hospital to be built before there is a hospital policy on recycling, on environmental issues, or indeed a States-wide policy? Would he take the opportunity to lead by example by making sure that the hospital is fully equipped so that there is recycling at the hospital for staff and for users thereof?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

My first answer would have indicated that there is recycling at the hospital for staff and all visitors. There is much recycling that goes on, so all the facilities are there to make recycling as easy as possible. I used the word "formal" because there is not a written document called a recycling policy that says: "Facilities will be provided for recycling" but they are there and there is every encouragement given to recycle.

[11:30]

I think a lot of recycling must depend on ourselves and the people we work with to encourage each other to make sure that we are all adopting best practice. Best practice does not just arise by writing down what people should do, it is about people working together in a team, they do want to recycle, all the facilities are there for them and it is happening.

5. The Connétable of St. Brelade :

Given that we have heard that the recycling structure within the present hospital is perhaps informal, would the Minister agree that most of what is disposed of ends up in the clinical waste incinerator run by the Minister for Infrastructure and would he agree that in the new development that there ought to be communication between he and his Minister to ensure that we make best use of that very expensive facility?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

The Connétable has said that most of the waste is termed hazardous waste. I do not have those percentages, but there is the general waste, which is much like household waste, which is separated and transported to La Collette for disposal in the incinerator in the usual way. There is the hazardous waste I have mentioned as well and the recyclable waste as well. All of these are separated into those 3 categories and dealt with very efficiently by the hospital. In fact, the department manages by having 3 trucks, which are used for waste disposal. It does not rely on the Parish to take the waste from the hospital, it separates and does it itself and has 3 trucks that are constantly operating for this purpose, so there is a great deal of work that does go on to recycle and separate waste.

The Connétable of St. Brelade :

Can I ask that the Minister answers the question and confirms he will work with the Minister for Infrastructure in developing a policy?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

Yes. I will ask my officers to discuss with the Infrastructure Department whether the hospital can do anything better to improve recycling and waste disposal. I do not know if that answers the question.

6. Deputy S.M. Ahier :

Will the Minister guarantee that he will have a meeting with the Future Hospital group to ensure that the future hospital does have recycling facilities within it?

The Deputy of St. Ouen :

I am sorry, the Deputy is referring to the Future Hospital group. I am not sure who the Deputy wishes me to have a meeting with. If it is the Future Hospital team that is developing the programme, my advice is that there will be a formal recycling policy put in place, but I have to say I think it is early for us to be talking about how we recycle from a hospital when there is still doubt about where we are going to put it. If the Deputy wishes me to check with the team that such a policy will be in place, I will do so and I will revert to the Deputy .