One of the strategic goals of the Royal Melbourne Hospital is to strive for sustainability and our Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-25 is helping us work towards that goal. 

Key points

  • The RMH commenced environmental sustainability initiatives in 2009
  • Since then we have improved our waste segregation, increased our recycling rate and decreased clinical waste generation
  • One of our strategic goals is to strive for sustainability
  • Our Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-25 was endorsed by the RMH Executive Committee and the RMH Board in October 2019

One of the strategic goals of the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) is to strive for sustainability. 

The RMH commenced environmental sustainability initiatives in 2009. Since then we have improved our waste segregation, increased our recycling rate and decreased clinical waste generation. 

The new Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-25 was endorsed by the RMH Executive Committee and the RMH Board in October 2019. The strategic targets in this Strategy focus on organisational leadership, emission reductions, waste minimisation and paper use reductions.

Some of our highlights since then as we work towards greater environmental sustainability include: 

  • Winning the Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2019 – Health Category for reducing hunger and food waste in our community
  • An Anaesthetists-led project reducing emissions from anaesthetic gases by 43 per cent and costs by 50 per cent 
  • Reductions in paper consumption, energy use and emissions
  • "Greening" the RMH Home Lottery so it contributes to our environmental sustainability and social procurement objectives
  • Introduction of drug disposal bins