Gloves Off, Waste Down: NSW Hospitals Take a Sustainable Step Forward

Welcome back GFZ’s! 

Good news for our eco-conscious readers—NSW hospitals are scrubbing up for sustainability! At Wyong Hospital, Dr Matthew Knox is leading an initiative that’s reducing unnecessary glove use, cutting down waste, and reinforcing a habit we all know and love: good hand hygiene.

We all saw disposable gloves skyrocket during the pandemic, but here’s the catch—nearly 50% of the time, they aren’t even needed! Instead of mindlessly reaching for plastic, staff at Wyong Hospital are learning when a thorough hand wash is just as effective (spoiler: it often is!).

The results? A whopping 285,000 fewer gloves were used in just one year. That’s a drop from nearly 1.6 million to 1.3 million single-use gloves annually in their emergency department alone. And the cherry on top? Hand hygiene compliance improved from 80% to 85%. Cleaner hands, less plastic—what’s not to love?

The Bigger Picture: Cutting Healthcare Waste  

Did you know the Australian health system is responsible for 7% of the nation’s carbon emissions—twice as much as the aviation sector? Hospitals produce an enormous amount of waste, from single-use plastics to energy-intensive operations. However, while we know it is often needed, initiatives like this prove that even the medical industry can take big strides toward sustainability.

And here’s the kicker: this isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for hospital budgets, too. As Dr. Knox puts it, “Most of the time, it saves money as well, so there’s no downside.” A cost-saving, waste-reducing, climate-friendly initiative? That’s exactly the kind of good news we love sharing on Feel-Good Friday!

Spreading the Sustainable Success 

This initiative is catching on fast. Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital has already adopted a similar program, slashing glove use by 300,000 pairs per year in just two surgical wards. Now, the movement is expanding across more wards and hospitals, proving that simple changes can make a massive impact on waste reduction.

Pssst, speaking of sustainable success, we have a sustainable disposable glove option, too!

They're called BioTuff Compostable Gloves, and theyare the perfect non-toxic, 100% biodegradable and home-compostable alternatives to regular disposable gloves. Manufactured from renewable corn starch materials, these gloves are GMO-free with no extra nasty chemicals. Cool huh?

You can wear them whilst handling food to protect your hands from food contamination and odours. (food-grade safe we don't advise the use for medical safety). Anyways,back to the story!

Gloves Off to a Greener Future! 

This is the kind of happy earth news that reminds us—every small shift adds up to a big difference. By ditching unnecessary plastic gloves and doubling down on hand hygiene, NSW hospitals are setting a powerful example for waste reduction in Australia.Let’s celebrate another step towards a cleaner, greener future! 

For more happy Earth news, you’ll love this story about Too Good To Go: The Company Turning Surplus Food into Sustainability... it's a goodie!

Until next week, much love!

GFZ Team xox