Waste avoidance and disposal: safe for people and the environment
At Helios, we regard waste management and disposal management as a process. It starts with waste avoidance through our procurement processes and extends to consistent recycling or environmentally friendly disposal. The goal is to have a better understanding of the route taken by our waste from generation to recycling and to derive measures for the future, e.g. in the form of a recycling rate.
Our hospital operations must comply with strict hygiene requirements at all times. Medical instruments and supplies are cleaned, sterilized, and packaged separately to enable reuse. Various disposable medical products are also used. This generates waste, and safeguards are required so that we can ensure that this waste is disposed of professionally and safely. Requirements for environmental protection, occupational safety, infection control, and hospital hygiene must be considered in this context. These range from the selection of suitable disposable containers, and cleaning and sterilization procedures, to the occupational safety and health of our employees when they dispose of hazardous waste, such as infectious waste. Clear internal regulations and comprehensive controls empower us to ensure compliance with these requirements at all times.
In 2023, we produced a total of approximately 19,194.2 tons (2022: 19,466.7 tons) of waste. Measured by revenue, this was equivalent to 2.64 tons (2022: 2.8 tons) per €1 million. Around 98.3% of the total waste was classified as nonhazardous, including, wound dressings, casts, disposable clothing, and household-type waste. The remaining amount consists of waste that is a risk to people’s health and the environment, including items such as infectious waste, hazardous chemicals, and critical medicines. Special methods and procedures are defined by law for handling this waste to ensure its safe disposal. Specially trained employees are responsible for compliance with all regulatory requirements in our hospitals.
More detailed information about the waste we generate can be found in the Key figures chapter. The waste working group set up in 2023 established a new waste survey that is intended to provide more nuanced and detailed information on the waste generated. The aim is to increase the quality of the data being collected and to ensure compliance with the future requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Waste
