At STERIS, we pursue a discipline of Continuous Improvement that drives improvements in safety, quality, cost delivery, and innovation across the business. As a result of our lean training and ongoing improvement events, STERIS has made significant strides in reducing waste, improving workflow and efficiencies, and improving product quality.
Sustainable Contract Sterilization Services
A significant opportunity for STERIS lies within our global network of facilities. Our largest global footprint of facilities is in our Applied Sterilization Technologies (AST) business, where globally we have over 50 facilities. Sharing best practices and sustainability examples across our network magnifies the potential impact of one change across a global network of facilities.
AST Sustainable EO® Sterilization Services
Ethylene oxide (EO) is a universally accepted sterilization technology that has delivered safe, sterile healthcare products for patient care since the 1960s. However, with the use of ethylene oxide as a sterilant, human safety and environmental challenges must be considered. STERIS AST launched the Sustainable EO sterilization services program in 2017, which aims to reduce the use of ethylene oxide gas per cubic meter of product processed by 50% over 5 years.
Optimized sterilant input may lead to reduced emissions, lower product residuals, improved occupational safety, and improved supply chain efficiencies.
Our Sustainable EO services provide Customers with strategies to reduce the EO sterilant used in the sterilization process to achieve the prescribed Sterility Assurance Level. This program includes innovative approaches to EO sterilization, such as cycle design, validation strategy, and process challenge device design, all focused on the reduction of EO residuals on healthcare products.
HexaVue Connect Software– Software-based portfolio of patient care and operating room efficiency tools eliminates the need to print images for the patient record.
ConnectAssure Technology– Digital data management system that collects cycle information from STERIS equipment eliminates the need for paper logs.
Conserving Water in Healthcare
One of Earth’s most precious resources is water. For many years, STERIS has focused on developing innovative products that significantly reduce the use of water.
STERI-Green Water Re-Circulating System – Available with a number of STERIS sterilizers, the STERI-Green System can reduce water consumption up to 35% during a sterilization cycle.
STERI-Green PLUS – Uses only one gallon of water per cycle, saving 99% of water used during cycles.
Does not contain environmentally damaging chemicals including nonylphenol ethoxylates or phosphates
Sustainable Products for Medical Device, Research Laboratory, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Manufacturers
STERIS Life Sciences delivers products that help our Customers reduce their environmental footprint while sustaining their global manufacturing and research environments.
CIP 200 Acid Detergent – Reduces water consumption and cleaning time due to superior rinsing and low foaming characteristics.
AMSCO LS Sterilizers – STERI-Green and STERI-Green Plus water conservation systems and other energy saving options and standard features.
Even in our office spaces, the efforts to reduce our impact on the environment are real. Recent efforts have included increased recycling programs, encouraging employees to “keep it on the screen” to reduce paper usage, our “Ditch the Disposables” campaign aimed at eliminating single-use cups in our facilities, adding solar power at certain facilities, and installing interior and exterior LED lighting at factories, offices, and distribution centers to increase lighting efficiency and reduce our overall carbon footprint.
Our manufacturing facilities are also working to become more sustainable, with changes such as reducing material usage, avoiding wasted material, and recycling raw material packaging for future use in product packaging. We are also committed to adding recycling bins in our facilities where they don't already exist.
Sustainability in Our Fleet
Through our global service force, we have a large fleet of company vehicles. As such, we are keenly aware of the impact that fleet has on the environment and are studying our use of fossil fuels through implementation of fleet technologies and more efficient vehicles. One of our first efforts was focused on improving our CO2 emissions by implementing more efficient vehicles.
Over half of our global fleet has been replaced with more efficient models.
