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University of Manchester and Bupa combine to affect change on environmental impact of healthcare sector

The University of Manchester and Bupa have announced an innovative new collaboration to develop new methods and strategies to drastically reduce the healthcare sector’s environmental impact upon our planet.

Announced today, the research programme aims to address the challenges of plastic waste in healthcare settings by exploring the relationship between social practice, material selection, reuse, and recycling while maintaining high-quality clinical outcomes. In response to complex sustainability challenges in the sector, the work will explore circular pathways, identify barriers and unintended consequences, and unlock opportunities to minimise the environmental impacts of materials in healthcare settings.

The three-year partnership brings together two organisations striving for authentic environmental sustainability, backed by innovative research and real-world practice. The collaboration is co-funded by an EPSRC Prosperity Partnership award, UKRI’s flagship co-investing programme building business and academic research collaboration.

Professor Mike Shaver, Director of Sustainable Futures and academic lead for the new partnership said: “We are thrilled by the opportunity to work with Bupa on this ambitious new project, extending our systemic understanding of plastics, waste management, social practice and environmental impacts to reshape material provision in healthcare. These collaborations are essential to translating our research efforts into real world impact.”

A key challenge for a sustainable future is the way we use and dispose of materials. Over 60% of countries have implemented bans or taxes on household waste, particularly plastics, yet healthcare is much more complex. The sector’s reliance on single-use items (SUIs) for infection control, consistency, and cost efficiency has led to significant environmental and health challenges, with SUIs contributing to carbon emissions, waste, and plastic pollution.

The crucial new interdisciplinary collaboration will tackle four key urgent areas:

  • Understanding social practice in medical practices - Understand the interconnectedness between social practice and material selection, use, segregation and disposal.
  • Reuse and sterility - Understand the relationship between material selection, sterilisation and reuse to improve environmental sustainability.
  • Mechanical and chemical recycling - Establish high volume clinical waste streams to create value in mechanical recycling and chemical depolymerization.
  • Environmental sustainability assessment - Quantify environmental impacts and develop materials hierarchies in the provision of healthcare.

Anna Russell, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, said: “This partnership with The University of Manchester is groundbreaking for our sector. Tackling healthcare’s environmental challenges requires bold thinking and collaboration, and this partnership is a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in creating sustainable, industry-wide solutions. By combining cutting-edge research with Bupa’s real-world expertise, we can drive meaningful change that reduces the healthcare sector’s impact on the planet while maintaining the highest clinical standards. This is a vital step forward in our journey to help create a greener, healthier future.”

This new partnership has been recognised by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for bringing together The University of Manchester’s interdisciplinary collaborative researchers and knowledge-base, with data from and access to more than 500 Bupa dental practices, clinics, care homes and The Cromwell Hospital. The necessity of tackling these challenges was highlighted by The University’s Sustainable Futures research platform and Bupa. These are challenges which can only be tackled by marrying academia and industry.

This new collaboration was kick-started by Unit M, The University of Manchester’s recently announced innovation capability tasked with supercharging the region’s innovation ecosystem. Unit M is now live and actively engaging with entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers eager to shape the future of the region.

Professor Lou Cordwell, CEO of Unit M said: “Ahead of the formal launch of Unit M, the founding leadership team has been working to develop this partnership with Bupa to highlight the benefits of organisations engaging with Unit M to drive real-world impact and innovation. The collaboration has taken shape over the past two years to establish a long term, University wide innovation partnership.”

The new collaboration builds on the shared commitment of both the University and Bupa to the region. Last month, The University of Manchester reaffirmed its status as a global leader in sustainability by retaining its position in the top 10 worldwide in the 2025 QS World University Sustainability Rankings. Meanwhile, Bupa was one of the first healthcare companies to set science-based CO2 reduction targets and an ambitious 2040 net zero pathway.


Contact

Ben Robinson
News and Media Relations Manager
The University of Manchester
[email protected]

Notes to editors

The new collaborative project is titled, CHaMP: Circularity in Healthcare Materials Provision.

Interviews and images are available upon request.

About The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester is recognised globally for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. The Russell Group institution is ranked the 6th best university in the UK and 52nd in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities).

A truly international university, its community includes more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff, and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries. Together, they are tackling the world’s biggest challenges – the University’s social and environmental impact is ranked in the top ten globally (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings).

The University is a powerhouse of research and discovery; 25 Nobel laureates are among its former staff and students; and it was ranked fifth for research power – the quality and scale of research and impact – in the UK government’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The institution is the most popular in the UK for undergraduate applications (UCAS 2023 cycle), and it is the second most targeted university by the UK’s leading employers (The Graduate Market, 2024).

Learn more at manchester.ac.uk

About Bupa

Bupa's purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. Health insurance accounts for a large part of our business with Bupa UK Insurance, the UK’s leading health insurer, providing health and dental cover to over 3.8 million people. Bupa Global is the premium health insurance arm of Bupa, serving 360,000 customers around the world. Niva Bupa is a leading provider of health insurance and retail health insurance in India, with 15.4 million customers. Bupa Dental Care is the leading provider of dentistry in the UK, providing dental services in around 400 centres across the UK and Ireland. Bupa Care Services has around 6,700 residents in over 117 care homes, and 10 Richmond care villages. Bupa Health Services comprises 52 health clinics, and the Cromwell Hospital in London which provides care for insured, self-pay and international patients.

Learn more at bupa.co.uk