Medequip is ready for National Recycle Week which runs from 17th – 23rd October 2022.
Walking aids, such as walking stick, frames, rollators and crutches can be safely refurbished and reused repeatedly. WRAP’s National Recycle Week (17th-23rd October) is a good opportunity to boost return and reuse which will help improve availability for patients, reduce carbon emissions and save money. Patients can find out where to return their walking aids by visiting their local Trust’s website or by using the WRAP Recycle Now Tool: www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/walking-aids.
All 24 of Medequip’s depots are being utilised as equipment drop off points during Recycle Week. Medequip also have 65 amnesty bin drop off points which can be found across the UK.
As a national provider of community equipment services, Medequip serves a population of over 20million people, providing 1000’s of pieces of equipment everyday to people who are living with mobility issues and disability. The service includes equipment procurement, maintenance, collection, cleaning, and recycling of equipment so it can be re-issued to another person in the community. Medequip has an impressive equipment recycle rate – which is currently 88% of returned items.
Medequip have also focused on carbon emissions in other areas of the business including vehicle fleet and aim to have 25% of service delivery vehicles fully electric by December 2022.
Crutches, frames and walking sticks provide an excellent opportunity for carbon savings due to the high greenhouse gas intensity of aluminium manufacture.
WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme) is a charity working with the government, businesses and citizens to create a world where resources are sourced and used sustainably. NHS England is also supporting National Recycle Week and encouraging trusts to use the week to set up a new scheme or boost return rates for an existing scheme.
Alex Roberts, Engagement Manager at Medequip said:
“Supporting National Recycle Week helps us build on our existing campaigns to encourage people to return unused equipment, in most cases equipment can be cleaned and reused for someone else in the community.”
Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, NHS England said:
“Increasing the amount of walking aids, such as crutches, walking sticks and walking frames, that are reused by patients is an important priority for the NHS. As well as helping to reduce the NHS carbon footprint, it can help the NHS to use its resources more effectively and save taxpayers money.”
To find out where you can return walking aids go to: WRAP Recycle Now Tool: www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/walking-aids.
To find out how to return unwanted community equipment please visit www.medequip-uk.com/contact to check if Medequip serves your local authority area.
For more information on the benefits of returning and reusing waking aids, please visit NHS England » Walking aid reuse.