Veolia will provide NHS Scotland with compliant and sustainable waste management solutions

Hazardous Waste Testing

The UK’s leading resource management company, Veolia, has joined the NHS Scotland Recyclates and General Waste Management Framework for the next five years. Working with the Common Services Agency this strategic placement will enable NHS Scotland Health Boards access to compliant and comprehensive general waste and recycling services. Through optimised handling, increased recycling, and managing treatment of complex waste streams, Veolia will help NHS Scotland achieve their target of reaching Net Zero by 2040.

As a procurement organisation, The Common Services Agency (more commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland), drives improvements and increases commercial efficiency across health, social care and public sectors across Scotland. Supported by Veolia's extensive treatment and collection infrastructure, the service covers all aspects of the waste management process, from the initial collection at the point of production, on-site transfer and consolidation to off-site transportation, treatment, and disposal. 

Waste streams will be tracked by Veolia’s end-to-end cloud-based system that will ensure compliance and traceability through the complete cycle from enquiry to treatment or disposal, and is designed to cover more than 100,000 different waste profiles. In addition to helping organisations on the framework to meet compliance requirements, Veolia will also be able to help them improve their own sustainability by reducing the impact of virgin material use.

Veolia's Hazardous Waste services will be available to all organisations that are part of the framework, including laboratories, hospitals, and outpatient clinics and will help NHS Scotland adapt to waste legislation changes. All hazardous waste streams will be optimised and centralised at Falkirk, to help reduce carbon emissions from transport.

The service will be supported by Veolia’s mobile chemist service, Chempac, for segregation, labelling, packing, collection, treatment and disposal of hazardous and laboratory chemical wastes, to ensure compliance and safety for customers. 

Hospital laboratory

This will enable correct classification, storage and movement in accordance with local geographical legislation, and provide all the required regulatory documents for pre-acceptance and disposal. Following a thorough analysis, the waste streams will undergo appropriate treatment at Veolia's specialist facilities, where they will be processed according to the highest level of the waste hierarchy.

Commenting on this latest agreement, Adam Wylie, Managing Director - Commercial, at Veolia  said:

“The new framework agreement underpins our commitment to delivering operational excellence with NHS Scotland, as we support them on their journey to Net Zero.  Veolia has a long history with NHS Scotland delivering energy, decarbonisation and Facilities Management solutions so this new framework agreement underpins our unwavering commitment to delivering operational excellence with NHS Scotland, as we support them on their journey to Net Zero. We look forward to partnering with these organisations for many years to come, and advancing the sustainability of healthcare.”