The trust recognises that some of our activities can have a significant impact on the environment.
It is important that these activities are managed effectively to minimise the impact and to ensure that we comply with, or exceed, relevant statutory requirements and we have started to implement an environmental management system.
Our board of directors is committed to ensuring that we take measurable steps to reduce our carbon footprint in line with the Climate Change Act 2008 and work closely with partner organisations, staff, patients and local community groups to make best use of finite resources.
We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint. We are monitoring our performance against the Good Corporate Citizenship Assessment model.
The Trust in partnership with our new waste and recycling service providers are committed to eradicating waste to landfill by increasing recycling and the converting of general waste to RDF refuse derived fuels for incineration by renewable power plants.
We have a number of environmental initiatives already in place…
Our carbon footprint
Over the past three years, the trust has worked closely with the Carbon Trust to develop baseline figures against which we will measure our future progress in reducing our carbon emissions and overall carbon footprint.
Carbon reduction initiative
As part of our on-going carbon reduction initiative we have completed an ambitious £1.3m carbon reduction initiative via the Department of Health Central Energy and Sustainability Fund. The project involved the replacement of inefficient heating boilers and plant equipment with a combination of biomass and high efficiency gas boilers, linked with the latest technology in energy controls.
Electric vehicles
Several electric vehicles are available on the trust’s car lease scheme for staff, and our Environmental Strategy Steering Group is looking at the viability of charging stations at some of our main sites. TEWV consultant psychologist Symon Day has already swapped his gas-guzzling, Land Rover Discovery for the ecological, economical Nissan Leaf.
Introduction of portable compactors for segregation and subsequent recycling of cardboard
To comply with current environmental legislation and contribute to delivering our sustainable environmental problem.
Adoption by Wincanton Recycling as a ‘best practice’ case study
Our response to the new legislation was to develop a dedicated strategy for the collection, storage and recycling of WEEE, working in partnership with Wincanton Recycling. This was adopted as a ‘best practice’ case study for the recycling of WEEE by Wincanton Recycling.
Partnership activity with the County Durham Procurement Consortium
To ensure that products/services procured are compliant with legislation, consistent with efforts to improve environmental management performance, help achieve cost reductions.
To find out more about our current and future environmental plans read our Estates and Facilities Management Framework 2017-2022.
