The Peterborough Regional Health Centre is introducing a new sustainability initiative to reduce plastic waste in its Surgical Department.
The “Bring Your Own Bag” program, launching officially on June 1, 2025, encourages patients to bring reusable bags for their clothing and personal belongings when arriving for planned surgeries and procedures.
Currently, PRHC provides approximately 24,000 plastic bags annually for this purpose—equivalent to the environmental impact of driving around the Earth 21 times. The hospital aims to reduce that number by at least 20% in the 2025-26 year.
“We have set out a path to strengthen our focus on environmental stewardship over the next several years, and this initiative is just one of many opportunities we are pursuing at PRHC to improve sustainability and reduce our environmental impact,” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC’s President and CEO.
As part of its broader commitment to sustainability, PRHC also recently transitioned to biodegradable nitrile gloves in March 2025. The new PRIMED Sustain gloves offer the same level of protection and achieve 81% biodegradability within 490 days. PRIMED, a Canadian-owned company, supplies the product.
While the Bring Your Own Bag initiative officially begins in June, PRHC encourages patients to start using reusable bags immediately. Patients unable to bring their own will still be provided with plastic bags when necessary, particularly in urgent situations.
The hospital advises patients to bring two reusable grocery-sized bags—one for clothing and another for shoes or outerwear. PRHC also reminds patients to bring only essential items and avoid valuables when coming for a procedure.
PRHC participates in the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and continues to seek innovative ways to enhance patient care while reducing its environmental footprint.
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
