Going Green

RE: Going Green

Sarah Cahill — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:48:42 GMT

Plant based milks for tea and coffee :)

RE: Going Green

Charlotte Chisholm — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 11:56:43 GMT

Hi Laura,

Millpledge sterilisation pouches, Millpack, are 100% recyclable. They also include a TST strip so no need to order them separately therefore less packaging

Many of our products are packaged in our Millpack sterilisation pouches too, e.g. our giving sets.

Millpledge are constantly taking steps to reduce packaging and waste. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about specific products.

RE: Going Green

Laura — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 13:34:55 GMT

Thanks everyone, a few really good ideas.

I have already switched us to the Greencol collars and recyclable tablet bottles from IMS, and we stopped using plastic grip bags and instead use cardboard cartons to dispense blister packs of tablets.

Thanks again for all the tips so far, would love to hear more if people have them!

RE: Going Green

sisterton86 — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 12:46:29 GMT

I work for IMS Euro and we have been working really hard over the past few months to become as environmentally friendly as possible too. We have just introduced a Green Policy and we have also updated our packaging to remove bubble wrap, Sellotape and other single-use plastics. I'm not sure if you have heard of Learning Without Landfill or Zero Waste Veterinary but I am always looking on their Facebook page for other ideas on how we can improve further!

We are currently working on sourcing eco-friendly consumable products as we know that sadly these items generally have to be single use due to the nature of the item. Many are made from plastic but we are hoping to try and help to reduce waste across the profession where we can.

Examples of green products that we have sourced now are Elizabethan collars and tablet bottles that are 100% recyclable, syringes that are made using less plastic than your standard syringes (and manufactured in a factory using renewable energy) and we have also just launched biodegradable nitrile gloves this week!

If you'd like any more information, please do let me know and we'd be delighted to help.

RE: Going Green

apache — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 10:41:36 GMT

[quote user="Catriona88"]• A staff member has pigs so there is a pig bin at work, as well as compost bins[/quote]

Just be aware that feeding kitchen waste to pigs is illegal.

RE: Going Green

Catriona88 — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:35:47 GMT

Here are some changes we have made over the last year:

• Gone from plastic dispensing bags to brown envelopes, and the carrier bags at the front counter are also now paper

• We use popcorn kernels to collect urine and have also made home collection kits in paper bags to hand out to owners

• We offer to email as much as we can rather than print- vaccinations reminds, info on arthritis, info on cruciate surgery etc etc

• We've tried to reduce the amount of leads, harnesses, toys etc that come smothered in plastic and look for alternatives. And we now sell more than we ever did. And we sell bidegradable poo bags

• We only sell the pellet cat litter and not the crystal type stuff

• We don't use plastic bags in our bins (except clinical waste)

• Our lab results don't print automatically, and instead we have an ipad and the results come through on that

• We have a sensing dryer now so it just stops when the load is dry. All towels get hung up first and can then go in the dryer to finish off

• We have a few renal cats that come in for SCFT 1-2 times weekly and we use the same 60ml syringe with there name on it rather than a new one each time. Never had a problem

• A staff member has pigs so there is a pig bin at work, as well as compost bins

• We shred a lot of paper and use it for small furries bedding, and give any excess to the local RSPCA

• We use eco-friendly toiletpaper, and all public ares have eco-friendly handsoap

• Most of the female staff use a mooncup and/or material sanitary pads that are easily washed. That's not anything to do with the practice but just what comes up in lunchtime conversations lol

• LED lights through the practice

• We use to have a lot of individually packaged instruments for orthopaedics but now we have 2 quite large packs with everything in them so only use 1 pouch. We are currently looking at other alternatives to the sterilising pouches.

• A vet has kindly made everyone surgical hats

• We use old drip line for heaps - administering ear meds, ear flushes, ET tube tie, tying ecollars on, I used it to tie my tomatoes up in my garden lol

• We try and use the towel-wrapped-around-the-neck method instead of e-collars in some cases but not viable for all

This is all I can think of just now..!

RE: Going Green

Wildlife Nurse — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 18:11:25 GMT

Have a look on Davies Veterinary Specialists website. Anaesthetist Ellie West is all over it!! Do CPD on it too.

RE: Going Green

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 16:39:42 GMT

Hi Laura,

There was a discussion about this very subject a few weeks ago ...

https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nonclinical/f/5/t/31628.aspx