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General practices have the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of our environment and planetary health. Efforts to reduce the environmental impact of a practice also have financial benefits.

General practice can lead by example and incorporate changes into the way they operate by understanding their environmental footprint. By recognising the link between environmental change and emerging health impacts, your practice can make a big difference – by ‘going green’.

Practices may start with an audit to create a benchmark for any changes that are made. It may also be useful to appoint a “Green Champion” to drive the change to a more environmentally friendly practice.

Energy auditRead about how Benalla Church Street Surgery conducted an energy audit and implemented changes to reduce energy and costs over a 12‑month period.

Bike racksYou may want to consider installing bike racks at your practice to encourage staff and patients to cycle to your practice, reducing carbon emissions through not using their cars

Factsheet

Reducing the environmental impact of a general practice

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Power

Reducing energy consumption is a great way to reduce costs in your practice. Helpful tips to make your practice more energy efficient include:

• installing timers or motion sensors for lighting and other power outlets (such as instant hot water in the kitchen)

• changing to LED lights• reducing draughts by sealing doors and windows

and installing automatic doors/air locks• installing photovoltaic solar and/or other renewable

power sources if appropriate (large‑scale batteries in conjunction with renewables, or alone, can ensure business continuity in the event of blackout)

• reducing heat loss by using double glazing windows and insulating walls/ceilings and floors, and

• considering energy efficiency when purchasing appliances (such as refrigerators and dishwashers) and hot water services.

Water

Review your water use to see if you’re being as efficient as possible. Consider:

• using products (such as dishwashers and fridges) with a high water efficiency label

• only running the dishwasher when it is full• planting drought‑resistant plants in the garden• investing in rainwater tanks or grey‑water systems• installing low water use toilets, and• ensuring water leaks are repaired rapidly.

Reduce paper

Reducing the use of paper ensures less waste. Ways to minimise paper usage may include:

• moving to complete electronic records and electronic communications

• using recycled paper• limiting the amount of printed materials distributed

by your practice, and• subscribing to online editions of journals rather

than ordering printed copies.

Recycle

In instances where using paper is unavoidable, having recycling options in your practice is essential. Tips for increasing recycling in your practice may include:

• having recycling bins in the practice – either in each room or in a common area.

• ensuring recycling bins are not contaminated with non‑recyclable waste

• using recycled products, such as paper and toner cartridges, as much as possible

• replacing plastic cups in the waiting room with cups made from recycled paper or using washable cups

• being mindful of not filling your medical waste bins with materials that could be recycled or disposed of in regular waste, as disposing of medical waste is costly and resource‑intensive, and

• thinking about other things in your practice that can be recycled eg., batteries, light globes, soft plastic via Redcycle.

Minimise e‑waste

E‑waste is the term given to discarded electrical and electronic technologies. With technology constantly being upgraded, disposal of out‑dated electronic equipment occurs frequently. Electronic technology is made up of toxic harmful material that is often not disposed of efficiently or safely and e‑waste contains many components that can be recycled and reused. Ways to minimise e‑waste may include:

• avoiding purchasing new electronic products that cannot be reused and recycled

• reducing your consumption of electronic devices and get broken equipment repaired before purchasing new items, and

• reusing your electronic devices by donating items to charity, friends or family.

Privacy and securityFailing to remove data prior to disposing of any electronic device breaches patient information privacy and security. Just deleting your files does not fully and permanently delete information from your storage device’s hard drive. Before discarding any equipment, ensure all data has been removed from the device.

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Recycle e‑waste

There are several ways your general practice can discard e‑waste responsibly including:

• having a recycling company collect various types of e‑waste for recycling, and

• dropping off your e‑waste at organisations that offer recycling free of charge.

e‑waste recycling serviceFind an e‑waste recycling service near your general practice: visit Tech Collect, Recycling Near You, Mobile Muster (for recycling of mobile phones) or Cleanup websites.

Develop an e‑waste recycling policy for your practice

The RACGP has developed an e‑waste policy template. It is important to adapt this template to ensure its relevance to your practice. The template is available here: https://www.racgp.org.au/FSDEDEV/media/documents/Running%20a%20practice/Security/E‑waste‑policy‑template.docx

Resources

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Climate change and human health position statement https://www.racgp.org.au/FSDEDEV/media/documents/RACGP/Position%20statements/Climate‑change‑and‑human‑health.pdf

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Information security in general practice https://www.racgp.org.au/running‑a‑practice/security/protecting‑your‑practice‑information/information‑security‑in‑general‑practice

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, A guide to information backup in general practice https://www.racgp.org.au/running‑a‑practice/security/managing‑practice‑information/guide‑to‑information‑backup

World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA), 2019 Planetary Health https://www.wonca.net/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Groups/Environment/2019%20Planetary%20health.pdf

Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, National Waste Policy http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste‑resource‑recovery/national‑waste‑policy

Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste‑resource‑recovery/television‑and‑computer‑recycling‑scheme

Australian Conservation Foundation and Doctors for the Environment Australia, The Green Clinic Guide http://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/Groups/Environment/GreenClinic24102006.pdf

North East Sustainability & Health Group, Benalla Church Street Surgery Energy Audit 2016 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58c3ba5eebbd1a93b1853006/t/59cc986dcd0f6850be4bccbc/1506580649655/NESHGEnergyAuditBenallaChurchStSurgery.pdf