As a core value, sustainability to Intouch involves triple bottom line reporting which include financial, social and environmental aspects.

Intouch are active participants in creating an environmentally sustainable future.  Environmental issues play a key role in our Corporate Strategy and we have taken the following steps during the past two years.

Supply chain and logistics

Intouch promotes the use of re-usable packaging boxes in the Distribution Centre where possible.  The use of tape over plastic wrap is encouraged.

Intouch encourages the use of teleconferences and video conferences to lesson the need for travel.  Although face to face meetings are important, they are only held when both parties deem them necessary.

In the future, Environmental Policies will form part of an organisation’s standards as much as Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination.  Intouch considers the progress that has been made over recent times not only a step in the right direction but forming the foundation of a framework for our future.

As part of Intouch’s commitment to quality and sustainability, members of the Intouch quality team will undergo audit training to AS/NZS ISO 14000/14001 to introduce environmental review into our ongoing audit program striving towards further certification to AS/NZS ISO 1400/14001.

Products and disposal

For health professionals and clients, the need to dispose of products is a daily requirement and the method of disposal is important to understand.  Assistance in advising clients and health providers will be provided through Intouch newsletters and Intouch workshops.

Disposal of continence aids is through general waste in most cases.  The environmental classification of the types of incontinence wastes are consistent with those developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council.  That is, incontinence wastes and nappies are general wasters and other than on infrequent occasions where they are considered to be cytotoxic or infectious by medical practitioners. 

Sanitary napkins, soiled nappies, and incontinence pads are usually not considered to be clinical waste and therefore not regulated waste. According to the National Health and Medical Research Council Guideline: “There is no evidence that, under normal circumstances, the disposal of soiled babies napkins, incontinence pads and sanitary pads/tampons poses risks of infection”

Disposal of cytotoxic and infectious wasters are contained in the Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation2000 that came into effect from July 1 2000.

Intouch have a range of continence aids that are reusable or disposable allowing clients and health provider freedom of choice.  In consideration of the different environmental effects that continence products have on the environment, both reusable and disposable have varied impact.  Clients and health professionals are able to make a choice based on:

• clinical assessment
• personal preference
• physical requirements
  

Through monitoring usage, client needs and instances of stockpiling, Intouch will reduce the environmental impact by reducing product usage.  When the client has been assessed and is using the right product this not only reduces wastage and environmental impact but will also improve comfort and dignity for clients.

The effect of the close monitoring by Intouch will then decrease product costs to the Department of Veteran's Affairs and the budget for continence aids can be more widely spread across more Veterans who need assistance.

Caring for our environment

Work with environmental issues is given high priority at Intouch. Instead of viewing environmental work as an expense, Intouch considers it a prerequisite for the creation of a successful company.

Intouch takes environmental sustainability very seriously and this is reflected in its Environmental Responsibility Policy which all aspects of its business adhere to.

Sound environmental management is demonstrated in the way Intouch:

• selects, procures and stocks products
• purchases and uses office products and materials
• manages office wastage
• warehouses and distributes products
• promotes a strong environmental ethic as part of its culture throughout the company.

Its Environmental Responsibility Policy states that Intouch will:

• identify, limit, and, where possible, ameliorate environmental impacts and pollution
• continually improve its environmental performance, prevent pollution and responsibly minimise and control its wastes
• voluntarily implement and improve our Environmental Management System (EMS)
• periodically review our environmental objectives, targets and management plans to identify potential improvements and relevant shortcomings
• plan, construct and operate all operating locations to comply with applicable regulations, to meet ISO 14001 or its equivalent and to act with due diligence for environmental protection and improvement
• promote throughout the company a strong environmental ethic as part of its culture
• consider favourably, suppliers who pursue good environmental management practices
• help conserve resources by the procurement of products to reduce the use of raw materials, packaging and energy in manufacture, and by recycling production wastes
• communicate openly and constructively with responsible environmental interests, government authorities and the community generally
• communicate and supply our environmental responsibility policy and frameworks to relevant interested parties such as shareholders, customers and the wider community.

Product waste

Intouch products, particularly from its continence range, go into landfill. Landfill is a high profile issue, and a concern to many Australians. People are worried about society’s rates of waste disposal.

Less than 1% of all Australia’s solid wastes actually goes to landfill. The other 99% include wastes from mining, farming and forestry, which are managed in other ways.

Proportion of land filled wastes in Australia

A comprehensive study of all wastes generated in Australia found that land filled wastes were only 1% of all solid wastes produced (1)

Since this study in 1990–91, mining wastes have increased substantially, bringing land filled wastes to less than 1% (1).

This means continence wastes are only 1 part in 10 000 of all our solid wastes (2).

Production of wastes in the various sectors of the Australian economy in 1990-91 [*some sectors aggregated]

Working with suppliers

Intouch recognises its customers’ concerns about landfill, and is committed to finding ways to reduce the impact of our products on the environment and landfill.

NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, August 2004, Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery in NSW

O’Connor MA, Evans DG, Hurse TJ, 1995, Waste flows in the Australian Economy, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne.

Common environment myths

Disposable nappies and continence pads and pants are filling up landfills
Nappies, pad and pants actually only make up around 1% of landfill waste, and just 3% of average domestic waste. In terms of all solid waste generated in Australia, these products make up one part in 10 000.

Nappies are contaminating landfill and nearby areas
Some people have expressed concern over the impact of faecal matter in landfill.
Independent tests have repeatedly demonstrated that there is no hazard to public health resulting from nappy disposal in household waste.

Continence products heavily impact on the environment.
Reusable products are excellent and they do not increase the volume of landfill but they do require resources in laundering. Intouch carries many reusable products as well as those made from renewable fibres.