Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on increasing the use of recyclable materials in clinical and healthcare settings.

As set out in the Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service report, published in October 2020, the National Health Service is taking action to achieve a 10% reduction in clinical single-use plastics in the short-term. In the longer term, the NHS aims to eliminate waste, turning all waste into a resource. This includes using reusable equipment where it is safe and appropriate to do so, and recycling when it is not.

The NHS is making strong progress on these aims, for instance reducing single-use plastics in catering by 28.1% since 2019.

While arrangements for the reuse of medical supplies are managed locally, NHS England collaborates with NHS Supply Chain to increase availability of more sustainable products and supports local NHS organisations through the publication of guidance, including steps to eliminate waste.