Sheffield Teaching Hospitals fined £250,000 by Environment Agency over emissions
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH) NHS Foundation Trust has been fined £250,000 for exceeding its carbon dioxide emission target.
The Trust, which runs Sheffield’s five hospitals, fell short of the Environmental Agency’s target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent on the previous year.
Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse at STH, said: “Since 2016 we have reduced our CO2 emissions year on year but unfortunately, we did not achieve the target set for us by the Environment Agency this year because we used more energy than expected due to the cold Spring weather.”
NHS England says the health service will reach net zero by 2040 for the emissions it controls directly.
Tony Buckham, Non-Executive Director of the Trust, said in an assurance report to governors: “Whilst the Trust are not outliers, work is progressing to mitigate the impact of future potential breaches.”
This work includes replacing 7,000 computers with lower energy ones, introducing a system for recycling walking aids, and switching to LED lights.
Professor Morley added: “Electric charging points have been installed across the Northern General and Royal Hallamshire hospital sites and solar panels have been installed across the Trust. We have changed our waste handler which means more of our waste is recycled rather than landfill.”
STH, which also covers Weston Park Hospital, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital, and Jessop Wing, also highlighted the following improvements:
3,500 display screens of the replaced computers were recycled for Sheffield charities to use.
Damaging gases such as Desflurane, which has a higher warming impact than CO2, are used less. The Trust has reduced its usage by 94 per cent, and plans to stop using it entirely.
Entonox is used less, and units have been purchased to break it down into harmless gases.
Food is sourced locally, with menus including more plant-based dishes, and plastic cutlery no longer used.
NHS England says it will reach net zero by 2045 for emissions it can influence but not fully control, such as catering, staff commuting, and freight transport.