We’re proud to make sustainability part of everything we do in maternity services, caring for the planet, as we care for our mums and babies. This means reducing waste, choosing reusable rather than disposable equipment where it’s safe and suitable to do so, and choosing greener options throughout your pregnancy and birth journey.
We want to give every baby the best start in life, while protecting the world they will grow up in.
Born Green Generation
During their first 1000 days (from conception to their second birthday), babies are routinely exposed to unnecessary plastics and toxic chemicals. This period of time plays a crucial role in shaping future health. Born Green Generation is a transformational movement, bringing together researchers, policy makers, hospitals, parents, and industry, to protect children from toxins and harmful chemicals, while reducing plastic consumption.
In practical terms, on our maternity wards, Born Green Generation helps families make environmentally friendly choices and supports greener care.
You may notice some of these changes during your time with us:
- Reusable wipes and breast pads – You will be offered reusable wipes and breast pads to take home after you are discharged. This is part of our commitment to reduce exposure to plastics and toxic chemicals.
- Environmentally friendly placenta disposal meanscardboard-based bins are now used to dispose of placentas. This prevents over 750kg of plastic from entering the waste disposal system annually, and represents a reduction of almost 380kg of greenhouse gas equivalent entering our atmosphere.
- Information on eco-friendly baby care. We share guidance on the environmental impact of plastic wipes and tips on safer, greener alternatives.
- Links to trusted organisations. We work with partners like the Women’s Environmental Network, who provide advice on sustainable parenting.
Each of these small steps helps reduce waste, save resources, and create a cleaner, healthier future for our children. We want to engage all communities, and empower women to make choices at home inspired by priorities they have seen in healthcare.
Climate friendly gas and air
Newcastle Hospitals maternity services were the first in the UK to use climate-friendly gas and air (Entonox) during labour.
Entonox, a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen, has provided pain relief for women in labour for over 60 years. But nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, almost 300 times stronger than carbon dioxide, and escapes into the atmosphere after use.
Our Entonox cracking systems capture and break down this gas before it can reach the atmosphere. We use both a Central Destruction Unit (CDU) and Mobile Destruction Units (MDUs). The gas and air that women breathe out in labour is collected and the nitrous oxide is broken down into oxygen and nitrogen, which are harmless to the environment.
This means you can still have safe, effective pain relief during labour, while we cut our carbon emissions and protect the planet. As well as having a huge benefit to the environment it also significantly reduces the amount of nitrous oxide staff are exposed to while they work.
Reducing the impact of caesarean sections
The estimated carbon footprint of a UK caesarean birth is 19.24 kgCO2e. A variety of measures are being taken to reduce this impact. For example, we use washable theatre hats, are minimising our plastic waste, and we are trialling sustainable surgical skin preparation (cleaning).
Newcastle Hospitals’ wider approach to sustainability
Our sustainability work within maternity services is part of an ambitious trust-wide approach to becoming a sustainable healthcare organisation. We’re continually reviewing every part of how we deliver care to use less and reuse more, ultimately reducing our environmental impact.
Current improvements include:
- Reviewing methods for preparing the skin before an operation
- Using reusable drapes in theatre, which can be sterilised and used again, rather than thrown away
- Environmentally friendly placenta disposal
- Using reusable cold sticks to check the level of anaesthesia after an epidural or spinal anaesthetic. This has replaced using ethyl chloride spray, which is a greenhouse gas
- Using reusable surgical light handles rather than disposable plastic ones
- Paracetamol IV to oral switch pre-operatively
- Reusable breast pads for patients to use and encourage sustainable choices at home
- Reusable theatre hats
- Reusable sharps boxes
- Rationalising spinal packs to remove unused or wasted items.
Together, these changes save resources, lower carbon emissions, and reduce waste, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and care.
