Edinburgh, Scotland, (March 18, 2025) – Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in cardiovascular, orthopaedic, surgery and vision solutions, today unveiled its latest sustainability offer – a program that allows the recycling of its entire MedTech single-use product portfolio across the UK – at the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery, in Great Britain and Ireland Annual Meeting.
Building on the success of the company’s packaging waste recycling scheme, which recycled over 85,000 items (equating to more than 3 tonnes) across 87 UK operating theatres in its inaugural year1, this ambitious initiative has the ability to recycle products such as surgical staplers, electrosurgery devices, clip appliers, suture relay trays, trocars, and catheters; supporting the UK Government’s Design for Life Roadmap2 by addressing environmental challenges and promoting a circular economy within the healthcare sector.
The program promises a seamless end-to-end recycling experience for single-use products, utilizing advanced separation methods of clinical waste3. The collected plastics are transformed into a versatile material similar to plywood that can be used for construction, shopfitting, and creating community items like school benches and desks4. Additionally, the program provides hospitals with critical sustainability metrics through a waste management platform, ensuring accountability and tracking of recycling efforts.
“Given the importance of reducing the environmental impact and conserving resources within the NHS, it is crucial that we continue our efforts in reducing waste and implementing recycling schemes wherever possible,” said Annemarie Brunswicker, Thoracic Surgeon at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital*. “This new recycling scheme is going to make a huge difference, and we're thrilled to be partnering with Johnson & Johnson MedTech to help achieve our sustainability goals”.
“Single use-devices and instruments have long been in circulation in healthcare due to the reduced risk in patient-to-patient contamination coupled with the time and cost associated with reprocessing,’ said Angela Bagnall, General Manager Surgery, UK, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. "We are delighted that this latest initiative has the potential to prevent thousands of items from incineration, and is a key demonstration of our commitment to support healthcare providers in reaching their sustainability goals while positively impacting planetary health for generations to come.”
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About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more about our MedTech sector’s global scale and deep expertise in cardiovascular, orthopaedics, surgery and vision solutions at https://www.jnjmedtech.com/en-GB. Follow us at @JNJMedTechUKIr and on LinkedIn. Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited is part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.
NOTES TO INVESTORS CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding future operating performance and business strategy. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product research and development, including uncertainty of clinical success and obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success for new and existing products; challenges to patents; the impact of patent expirations; the ability of the Company to successfully execute strategic plans, including restructuring plans; the impact of business combinations and divestitures; manufacturing difficulties or delays, internally or within the supply chain; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; significant adverse litigation or government action, including related to product liability claims; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including tax laws and global health care reforms; trends toward health care cost containment; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; financial instability of international economies and legal systems and sovereign risk; increased scrutiny of the health care industry by government agencies; the Company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits from the separation of the Company’s Consumer Health business; and the New Consumer Health Company’s ability to succeed as a standalone publicly traded company. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections captioned “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” and in Johnson & Johnson’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.
© Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd. [2025]. All rights reserved.
*Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, is a customer of Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd. Annemarie Brunswicker, Thoracic Surgeon from Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital was not compensated for her contributions to this announcement.
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- Data on file at Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd.
- Department of Health & Social Care. Design for Life Roadmap. Jan 2025, Accessed March 2025 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/design-for-life-roadmap
- MYGroup GB Ltd. 2025. Accessed March 2025 https://mygroupltd.com/clinical-waste/
- MYGroup GB Ltd. 2025. Accessed March 2025 https://mygroupltd.com/plastic-boards/
Media contact:
Jennifer Holden
Johnson & Johnson
[email protected]