Born Green Generation
Born Green Generation is a transformational movement, with the ambition to change healthcare delivery by protecting the first 1000 days of life. A Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe initiative, working in partnership with hospitals and universities in Europe and the UK.
We aim to protect current and future generations from the harmful effects of certain plastics and chemicals, while reducing unnecessary plastic waste.
Over the next two years at the RVI, we’re embarking on a one-of-a-kind project to make toxic-free maternity care a reality, protecting the health and wellbeing of all new life.
Born Green Generation caesarean section: turning the tide on disposable healthcare.
Plastics, the chemicals they are made of and the fossil fuels that produce them, are harming human health. Healthcare is contributing to the evolving human and planetary health crisis.
Many of the items we use are unnecessary or there are safer alternatives. It is harming the people who make them, those who use them and the patients we are trying to help.
The full extent of microplastics’ impact on human health is undergoing research; PVC which is in many healthcare products has been linked to infertility, endometriosis, obesity, heart disease and cancer. As healthcare providers we are contributing to microplastics in our wider environment. Babies born in an operating theatre are born into a room where the levels are thought to be 5,000 microplastics per square metre. Staff are exposed to this on a daily basis.
The estimated carbon footprint of a UK caesarean birth is 19.24 kgCO2e. By creating a Green Caesarean Section list we are able to educate staff and patients, engaging those from all different communities, empowering women to make choices in their home environment inspired by priorities they have seen in healthcare.
At Newcastle Hospitals we are working on improvements in the following areas, in order to use less and re-use more:
- Reviewing methods for surgical prep;
- Reusable drapes;
- Environmentally friendly placenta disposal;
- Changing from Ethyl Chloride Spray to Cool Sticks for spinal block testing;
- Reusable surgical light handles
- Paracetamol IV to oral switch pre-operatively;
- Reusable breast pads for patients to use and encourage sustainable choices at home;
- Reusable theatre hats;
- Reusable sharps boxes;
- Not using gowns for spinal anaesthetic;
- Rationalising spinal packs.
More information about the Born Green Generation is available here.
Contact us
If you’d like to find out more, please email us on: [email protected]
