Cost Optimisation

Driving savings for your hospital through right-sized containers, right-fit waste solutions, and tailored pricing, without compromising safety, sustainability and compliance.

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Cost Optimisation

Driving Scalable Partnership Results

Hospital waste spend comes down to a few controllable levers. Sharpsmart helps hospital decision-makers lower total cost with pricing clarity, optimised pickups, waste reduction programmes, and a system built to perform across both single sites and multi-facility networks.

 

We optimise the drivers that impact your bottom line most:

  • Pricing structure (flat vs variable) aligned to your operating model
  • Pickup frequency reduced through smarter routing and national coverage
  • Segregation accuracy so non-hazardous waste stays out of high-cost streams
  • Container fill utilisation to process fewer containers (fill more, turn less)
  • Handling and logistics to reduce touchpoints and back-of-house burden
  • Waste reduction by cutting single-use packaging through reusables alternatives
  • Compliance and safety benchmarks eliminate non-conformance fines and avoidable needlestick injury costs.

The result is a streamlined programme that reduces cost and disruption within a sustainable framework – one that drives year on year efficiency and cost optimisation results for partner hospitals.

Streamlining Logistics Costs

Sharpsmart manages waste collections and back-of-house logistics as one coordinated system, designed to reduce total pickups, waste compound disruption, and operating costs. Our dedicated fleet reduces contractor touchpoints, transport-related costs, and the time hospital teams spend coordinating waste collections. There’s also the added value of none of this impacting patient care.

Service frequency is then optimised to match real generation patterns and storage capacity. Using waste trend data, volume fluctuations, and compliance requirements, we adjust schedules over time to eliminate unnecessary or premature container exchanges without sacrificing reliability. The result is fewer vehicles on-site, smoother waste compound operations, and a cost-controlled system that stays aligned to demand.

Minimum 36% Increase in Container Fill Utilisation

Sharpsmart collectors are engineered to maximise fill efficiency and usable capacity, which directly reduces container exchanges and total programme cost. With more sharps captured per container, hospitals process fewer turns, reduce servicing demand, and spend less on per-container costs, transport and treatment over time.

The below compares results from three different 15 litre capacity sharps containers, demonstrating the superior fill utilisation of Sharpsmart’s containers.

  • VerticalDrop S22 UK

    394 Syringes

    COLLECTED IN SHARPSMART’S S22 CONTAINER

  • MailboxDrop 4Gallon UK

    289 Syringes

    COLLECTED IN A COMPETITOR ‘LETTERBOX’ CONTAINER

  • VerticalDrop 4Gallon UK

    241 Syringes

    COLLECTED IN A COMPETITOR VERTICAL DROP CONTAINER

Segregation That Drives
Hospital-Wide Efficiencies

From the bins on wards to the large 770s in the waste hold, we support improved segregation at every step to divert waste from high-temperature incineration, reducing carbon footprint and costs.

Cost Savings Through Partnership

Sharpsmart helps hospitals drive positive impact across all five critical needs of care – safety, sustainability, efficiency, compliance and education – through a partnership model with dedicated account ownership, clear accountability, and industry benchmarking that drives continuous improvement and value across the lifecycle of the contract.

  • Cost Pound

    HIGH COST WASTE MINIMISATION

    We partner with facilities to develop and implement waste segregation policies, provide ongoing training, and use tailored education to ensure optimal practices. Waste audits and benchmarking against industry standards such as the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy are used to set and monitor KPIs for waste reduction. Our waste trends audits are used to reduce the instances of waste overclassification and drive impactful cost savings.

  • Icons ShapingFuture CostSavings USA Audit

    ASSESSMENTS AND AUDITS

    Waste audits and ongoing efficiency studies are conducted to collect fill levels and utilisation data for each container. Our waste auditing and programme performance assessments identify areas for improvement, corrective measures, and opportunities for re-training. Container exchange data, waste volume reporting, and continued auditing inform waste container right-sizing and placement decisions on a department level.

  • Icons ShapingFuture CostSavings USA Fill

    FILL UTILISATION

    Fill rate data is a primary source for right-sizing. We track fill levels of each container per service location to determine under or over-utilisation. Container exchange data is reviewed against expected parameters, and adjustments are made to container size, placement, or exchange frequency as needed. Our TRACE technology provides asset tracking and reporting down to the department level, enabling proactive training and actionable waste audits.

  • Pricing pound

    VARIABLE VS. FLAT PRICING

    Our standard pricing model is a waste utilisation cost methodology, invoicing based on the waste generated rather than flat pricing. This model delivers immediate savings as we drive waste reduction, improved container utilisation, and sustainability efforts. We also offer flat rate, variable, and hybrid pricing methods tailored to your specific needs and requirements. KPIs are developed to support these initiatives and can be adjusted as needed.

Royal Oldham Hospital Optimised Costs with Sharpsmart

12,888
Container Exchanges
(Pre Sharpsmart)
9,960
Container Exchanges
(Post Sharpsmart)
22.7%
Container Exchange Decrease
122
Clinical Staff Hours
Saved Annually

Labour and Waste Handling Efficiencies

Sharpsmart streamlines waste movement across the full hospital, from the point of care to the waste compound. Our interchangeable accessories and transport solutions support efficient movement of all container sizes through corridors, service lifts, and staging areas, reducing manual handling and unnecessary touches.

By standardising how containers mount, move, and store, hospitals reduce compound storage requirements, minimise lift congestion, and unnecessary staff time spent repackaging waste or managing multiple movements across different container types.

HalfSlider Porter Sharpsmart

A Partnership Built on Value and Results

Sharpsmart’s transformational approach to healthcare waste management in UK hospitals has raised the bar on clinical excellence and disrupted the ‘bundled’ pricing methodologies prevalent in the industry over the last three decades. We’re focused on driving clinical, sustainability and safety impact across every waste touchpoint, whilst reducing cost overheads in the management of healthcare waste streams, from container purchasing costs, to onsite labour and service schedules.

But we don’t only drive results, we also strive to add value at every stage of the waste journey.

Explore a Cost Optimised Programme

Onboarding and Change Management

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Service Assurance

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KPIs and Reporting

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