Maternity wards in Denmark are replacing baby diapers and wipes with washable and reusable alternatives for these reasons…
Several Danish hospitals have begun implementing new measures aimed at reducing their climate footprint, with maternity wards replacing a number of single-use supplies with reusable alternatives, as part of broader efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the health sector, according to TV2.
A maternity ward in northern Denmark launches the initiative
The maternity department at Regionshospital Nordjylland in Hjørring has taken practical steps to reduce its environmental impact, replacing single-use diapers, wipes, medical instruments and plastic clothing with washable, sterilizable and reusable alternatives.
DR quoted midwife Anette Juel Storgaard as saying: “We thought it was a shame to throw away all this waste when we could have found an alternative.”.
The children will use cloth diapers.
Under the new procedures, babies born in the department will receive cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers.
The husband or boyfriend of a pregnant woman undergoing a cesarean section will also receive washable cotton clothing instead of the plastic clothing that was previously used, according to DR.
Environmental projects are spreading to other hospitals
The Danish Regions Organisation (Danske Regioner) told DR that similar carbon emission reduction projects are currently being implemented in several hospitals and other areas of the country.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy developed by the Danish regions to reduce the environmental impact of the health sector.
Goal to halve emissions
The Danish regions have set a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from hospitals by 50 percent by 2035 compared to 2022 levels.
The regions estimate that achieving this goal requires reducing emissions by approximately 1.65 million tons of carbon dioxide.
The regional authorities also aim to make the Danish health system climate-neutral by 2050, according to the Danish regions' website.
Hospitals in the capital are replacing plastic instruments.
The Danish capital region, Region Hovedstaden, announced in a newsletter in May that it is also working to reduce emissions from its maternity wards.
The region explained that Amager og Hvidovre Hospital has replaced plastic medicine cups with new ones made either from recycled straws or from paper.
Reuse of fetal monitoring equipment
The new procedures also included CTG fetal heart rate monitoring belts, which are used to monitor the fetal heart rate during labor.
Instead of disposing of these belts after use, they are now sent for washing and sterilization to be reused again.
Largest maternity ward in Denmark
According to the Danish capital region, Region Hovedstaden, the department, which sees about seven thousand births annually, is the largest maternity department in Denmark.
These initiatives indicate a growing trend within Danish hospitals towards adopting more sustainable solutions, by reducing waste and lowering carbon emissions, while maintaining the level of healthcare provided to patients and families.
