Skip to main content
BETA A NHS service powered by standards. Feedbackopens in a new window will help us improve.

Plastics Reduction Pledge

NHS scheme to ask all providers, retailers and suppliers to the NHS, as well as a number of partner organisations, to sign up to a plastic reduction pledge.

Documentation

About this standard

Publisher
NHS England
Reference code
DCB3091
Status
Active
Show definitions of statuses

Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.

Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.

Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.

Standard type
Collections
Show definitions of standard types

Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.

Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.

Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.

Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.

Frequency

Dataset publication or collection occurs every three months.

Contact point

Using this standard

Applies to
  • NHS Trusts
  • Retailers and suppliers to the NHS

Review Information

Scope
NHS Trusts, retailers and suppliers to the NHS
Legal authority
  • Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012

    This standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

  • NHS standard contract

More information

Between 2013 and 2018, NHS services across England used more than 600 million disposable cups and millions of other disposable cutlery pieces, as well as many other avoidable single-use clinical and non-clinical plastic items. While much NHS plastic waste is already recovered for recycling or energy from waste we are still a significant contributor to the 34 billion tonnes of plastic that will pollute our natural environment by 2050.

Providers, retailers and suppliers to the NHS, as well as a number of partner organisations, to sign up to a plastic reduction pledge.

Trusts, retailers and suppliers that have signed the pledge are asked to provide NHS England with four data-submissions on the volumes of single-use plastic catering items purchased.

Page last updated: 26 March 2024