9th June 2017

Partnership Between Welsh NHS Board and Recycling Business Brings Innovation Award

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have taken one of the ‘Oscars’ of the British health service at a glittering awards ceremony in London.

It is the biggest recognition yet for their partnership with Cardiff-based company Thermal Compaction Group who invented the world first Sterimelt recycling machine.

The South East Wales health board beat off competition from across the United Kingdom to take the NHS Sustainability Innovation accolade last week.

The partnership between the health board and TCG was only signed six months ago.

Yet, since then, they have won the Welsh Business Awards Success Through Innovation award and, earlier this month, were finalists for the prestigious Lord Carter Innovation Award at the Hospital Innovations Exhibition and Conference staged at London’s Olympia Arena.

Mr Peter White, the Waste and Environmental Manager for the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and who was on stage to receive the NHS Sustainability Innovation award, is thrilled by the recognition.

Mr White said:

“To win a national award is testament to the work we have put into this sustainable project and the success of the Sterimelt machine itself.

“There was a lot of competition for the award, TCG have won the Welsh Business Awards Success Through Innovation trophy this year and we are now NHS UK-wide winners.”
The ground-breaking Sterimelt machine takes clinical waste used in operating theatres and, instead of putting it into an incinerator, that costs the NHS thousands of pounds a year to use, turns this waste into a polypropylene briquette that will actually make money for the cash-strapped NHS.

The briquette can be sold to manufacturing companies and turned into a huge range of plastic products. Currently the briquettes are turned into plant pots, pipes, lids that seal plastic storage boxes and most recently a new range of toolbox for B&Q retail stores.

After year-long trials, the machine was commissioned for full usage by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board six months ago and is situated at St Woolos Hospital, Newport.

It serves both St Woolos and the major Royal Gwent Hospital facility and has been working so well that there are plans for further expansion.

Mr White said:

“It is going very well. We now have a full-time operative who is funded via the Bevan Commission and he is optimising the process.

“I think there are opportunities for further collaborations and partnerships with TCG. We are looking at their Massmelt machine now for our laundry at Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital (Cwmbran) and there are a few energy projects we are looking at with them, so the future is really bright.”
TCG marketing and sales director Thomas Davison-Sebry was also at the London ceremony last week and said:

“It was great to get recognition for the amazing machine we have produced.

“It was also fantastic to have Aneurin Bevan win an award on our behalf and using our technology.

“It has proven now that they can save a lot of money using the Sterimelt machine. At the moment, it is only processing one type of product.

“But as we are aware, the NHS use thousands of products and we are now looking to do a five year plan to explore what other materials and products can be put through our technology and machines to save them a lot more money.”
TCG are now talking to health boards across the UK and are also in discussions with health organisations worldwide about introducing the Sterimelt machine to them.

But the pioneering partnership between the company and the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is witnessing them both reaping the rewards in terms of trophies, cutting carbon footprint and cash generation as a result.

View Aneurin Bevan’s profile here.